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	35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities
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        <h1 class="title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</h1>
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                 alt="An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron takes off."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron takes off for agile combat employment mission at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan.19, 2024. The 35th FS and 35th Fighter Generation Squadron members participated in an out-and-back mission with Kadena Air Base to practice ACE principles. The 8th Fighter Wing routinely trains ACE concepts, aligning with Pacific Air Forces’ warfighting priorities and keeping pace with evolving threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)</div>
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                 alt="Members of the 35th Fighter Generation Squadron board an MC-12 Liberty before flying."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">Members of the 35th Fighter Generation Squadron board an MC-12 Liberty before flying to Kadena Air Base at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan.19, 2024. The 35th FGS and 35th Fighter Squadron participated agile combat employment mission, during which the 35th FGS worked with 18th Wing maintainers to conduct a hot pit refueling station at Kadena AB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)</div>
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                 alt="35th Fighter Generation Squadron members unload cargo before flying to Kadena Air Base."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">35th Fighter Generation Squadron members unload cargo before flying to Kadena Air Base for an agile combat employment mission at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 19, 2024. For most Airmen in the out-and-back, this was their first time working within an ACE mission, designed to test their ability to retrieve and refuel aircraft in unfamiliar locations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)</div>
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                 alt="35th Fighter Generation Squadron members load cargo into an MC-12 Liberty."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">35th Fighter Generation Squadron members load cargo into an MC-12 Liberty before flying to Kadena Air Base at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan.19, 2024. A U.S. Army detachment from Osan Air Base flew the 35th FGS to Kadena Air Base ahead of an agile combat employment mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)</div>
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                 alt="An MC-12 Liberty taxis before taking off."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">An MC-12 Liberty taxis before taking off for an agile combat employment mission at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan.19, 2024. The 35th Fighter Generation Squadron left for Kadena AB via the MC-12 ahead of F-16 Fighting Falcon departure to set up a hot pit refueling station in support of the out-and-back mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)</div>
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                 alt="A pilot assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron taxis before a flight."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">A pilot assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron taxis before a flight at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan.19, 2024. The out-and-back consisted of six F-16 Fighting Falcons and a team of 11 multi-capable airmen from the 35th Fighter Generation Squadron, to who forward deployed to Kadena Air Base to hone the agile combat employment principles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jovan Banks)</div>
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                 alt="An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off at Kunsan Air Base."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan.19, 2024. The 35th Fighter Squadron participated in an out-and-back, working with the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base to hone agile combat employment principles. The ACE out-and-back was designed to test the 35th Fighter Squadron and Fighter Generation Squadron airmen on ther ability to retrieve, refuel and launch aircraft in an unfamiliar location. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jovan Banks)</div>
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                 alt="An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off from Kadena Air Base."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron takes off from Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 19, 2024. The 35th FS and 35th Fighter Generation Squadron members participated in an out-and-back mission with Kadena Air Base, honing their ability to employ and sustain operations from multiple locations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Edward Yankus)</div>
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                 alt="An F-16 Fighting Falcon lands at Kadena Air Base."
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                <div class="image-title">35th Fighter, Fighter Generation Squadron hone agility capabilities</div>
                <div class="image-caption">An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 80th Fighter Squadron lands at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan.19, 2024. Six F-16s from the 8th Fighter Wing flew 600 nautical miles for an out-and-back mission with the 18th Wing testing agile combat employment capabilities. The ACE out-and-back was designed to test the 35th Fighter Squadron and Fighter Generation Squadron airmen on ther ability to retrieve, refuel and launch aircraft in an unfamiliar location. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Edward Yankus)</div>
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    <div><b>By Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick</b> <span class="date">/ Published Jan. 25, 2024</span></div>
    <span class="dateline-text">KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea, </span>
    <p><span style="font-size:larger;">8th Fighter Wing Airmen and F-16 assets honed agile combat employment capabilities, conducting an out-and-back mission with the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Jan 18.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">For the mission, six F-16 Fighting Falcons, pilots from the 35th Fighter Squadron and a team of 11 multi-capable Airmen from the 35th Fighter Generation Squadron, worked with 18th Wing maintainers to set up hot pit refueling operations that ensured jets can quickly get refueled and back into international airspace.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">Although training agile airpower deployment can look different for the units throughout the Air Force, the core goal remains to increase survivability and maneuverability while generating air power with a small contingent of Airmen and limited resources.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">“ACE means learning how to operate without all the support assets or capabilities that one may traditionally have,” said Capt. Shaun Silk, 35th Fighter Squadron flight lead. “This mission made us practice and plan for all the contingencies that come with operating outside of our comfort zones... in new airspace, at a different base... while also challenging our ability to decentralize command and control from afar by all means available.”</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">Practicing ACE operations with nearby partners has become a priority for the Wolf Pack, exercising integrated capabilities and boosting interoperability across core functions to ensure the unit is agile enough to outpace adversarial actions.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">“This quick out-and-back showed our mission planning abilities and the F-16s combat radius by carrying 1000 lbs. of munitions 600 nautical miles into the Pacific” said Silk. “Our pilots and maintainers got to practice off-station contingency operating procedures, utlimatly preparing them for the challenges that could arise in unfamiliar environments and ensuring were agile enough to operate from various locations.”</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">The 35th FGS’ small maintenance team focused on the retrieval and refueling of the mission’s F-16s; conducting hot pit refueling operations, where the jet is refueled while the engine is running to minimize the amount of time spent on the ground.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">“Us refuling the jets here on the ground at Kadena, demonstrated our ability to take the fight anywhere in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility and to go out and complete missions even further than that if needed,” said Tech. Sgt. Tillman Reeves, 35th FGS flight line expediter.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">For most Airmen sent to support the mission, it was their first time in an operation that tested their ability to adapt to changing conditions and locations. This mission gave them first-hand experience on what to expect and how to handle similar taskings.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">Reeves spoke on lessons learned and some of the challenges they faced once they landed at Kadena AB.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:larger;">“The biggest challenge during the out-and-back was communication with both Kadena and Kunsan, and keeping track of the aircraft locations,” said Reeves. “That challenge and the fact that this was the first ACE mission for some of our Airmen, are going to be good and valuable experiences for them to look back on in the future.”</span></p>
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