News United States Air Force
 62nd AW exemplifies ACE during Swift ResponsePublished May 25, 2022
                        
                        By Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker
                        
                        
                        62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
                **JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. (AFNS) --**
                Several 62nd Airlift Wing **C-17 Globemaster III**’s roar to life as loadmasters, maintainers and pilots alike prepare for the **flight ahead**. The loadmasters don their gloves and headsets as the pilots and maintainers begin their pre-flight checks before takeoff. A headset crackle and the boisterous humming of the heavy cargo jet is the soundtrack to the forthcoming week or so.U.S. Soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division wait to be inspected by a jumpmaster before being declared ready to participate in an airdrop over Norway during Exercise Swift Response, May 10, 2022. Approximately 9,000 service members from 17 Allied and partner nations will participate in Swift Response, including approximately 2,700 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker)U.S. Soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division wait to be inspected by a jumpmaster before being declared ready to participate in an airdrop over Norway during exercise Swift Response, May 10, 2022. Approximately 9,000 service members from 17 allied and partner nations participated in the annual exercise, including approximately 2,700 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker)
            
            
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Once chocks were pulled from underneath wheels, seatbelts were on and the aircraft was clear for takeoff; Airmen with the **7th** and **8th** Airlift Squadrons ascended thousands of feet into the Pacific Northwest skies and flew straight in to exercise Swift Response, May 7-16.
The exercise is one of the premier military crisis response training events for multinational airborne forces in the world. It focuses on building airborne interoperability with allies and partners, and the integration of joint service partners in a contested environment. Swift Response expanded to four regions: the Arctic High North, Baltics, Balkans and Caucasus.A C-17 Globemaster III prepares to land during Exercise Swift Response at Cerklje Air Base, Slovenia, May 10, 2022. Approximately 9,000 service members from 17 Allied and partner nations will participate in Swift Response, including approximately 2,700 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker)A C-17 Globemaster III prepares to land during exercise Swift Response at Cerklje Air Base, Slovenia, May 10, 2022. Approximately 9,000 service members from 17 allied and partner nations participated in the annual exercise including approximately 2,700 U.S. Soldiers and Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker)
            
            
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    Pilots with the 7th  and 8th Airlift Squadron prepare for aerial refueling over the Pacific Ocean during Exercise Swift Response, May 7, 2022. Exercise Swift Response  focuses on building airborne interoperability with Allies and partners, and the integration of joint service partners in a contested environment; testing the capability and operational reach to rapidly deploy and employ U.S. and Europe-based multi-national airborne forces with little to no warning from across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Zoe Thacker)Pilots with the 7th and 8th Airlift Squadron prepare for aerial refueling over the Pacific Ocean during exercise Swift Response, May 7, 2022. The annual exercise focused on building airborne interoperability with allies and partners, and the integration of joint service partners in a contested environment; testing the capability and operational reach to rapidly deploy and employ U.S. and Europe-based multi-national airborne forces with little to no warning from around the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Zoe Thacker)
            
            
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    Two 62nd Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster III’s prepare for aerial refueling over the Pacific Ocean May 7, 2022 during Exercise Swift Response. Exercise Swift Response  focuses on building airborne interoperability with Allies and partners, and the integration of joint service partners in a contested environment; testing the capability and operational reach to rapidly deploy and employ U.S. and Europe-based multi-national airborne forces with little to no warning from across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Zoe Thacker)Two 62nd Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster IIIs prepare for aerial refueling over the Pacific Ocean May 7, 2022, during exercise Swift Response. The joint exercise builds airborne interoperability with allies and partners, and the integration of joint service partners in a contested environment; testing the capability and operational reach to rapidly deploy and employ U.S. and Europe-based multi-national airborne forces with little to no warning from around the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Zoe Thacker)
            
            
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The expansion demonstrates **U.S. Army Europe and Africa**’s capabilities and its operational reach to rapidly deploy and employ U.S. and Europe-based multi-national airborne forces with little to no warning from around the globe. The exercise includes approximately 9,000 participants from 17 allied and partner nations.
The aircraft provided a vehicle for airdrop missions in both Norway and Latvia; airdropping U.S. Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne Division.
“**Air Mobility Command** and the 62nd Airlift Wing are the top tier organizations that provide rapid global mobility to our combatant commanders,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Calvin Woodard, deputy air mission commander. “This exercise specifically showcased our ability to quickly deliver combat power in the **European Command** area of responsibility.”
Swift Response evaluated the readiness of the core ground component of the **U.S. Army**, the 4/25 IBCT out of **Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson**, Alaska, alongside high-readiness forces from Albania, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Netherlands and Poland, as well as additional U.S. Army and Air Force units in Europe.
In addition to military forces from around the globe, the 62d AW aircrews were joined by crews from the 446th Airlift Wing at JBLM, and the 437th and 315th AW, **JB Charleston**, South Carolina, on this mission.
Aircrew personnel arrived at JBER May 7 and began working with the 4/25 IBCT in person to get ready for the airdrop mission. After months of planning by both the Air Force, Army and our allied nations; Swift Response was finally coming to fruition.
U.S. Air Force **Col. Sergio Anaya**, air component mission commander and 62nd Operations Group commander, spoke with Swift Response aircrews and Army partners to ensure everyone was ready to support and understood their importance to the future of air and land superiority.
“It’s the very young men and women sitting in this room who represent the backbone of America’s democracy and uphold our Constitution with dignity,” Anaya said. “We [Air Force components] are incredibly looking forward to supporting this exercise.”
As more than 400 paratroopers boarded the cargo jets May 9, the aircrew and the jumpers alike were fired up and ready to demonstrate the warfighting capabilities of the United States.U.S. Soldiers with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, board a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2022. These soldiers are participating in Exercise Swift Response, which demonstrates the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy a large, combat-credible force of Soldiers and equipment from the U.S. to Europe in support of both the U.S. National Defense Strategy and objectives defined by NATO. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker)U.S. Soldiers with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, board a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2022. The Soldiers participated in exercise Swift Response, which demonstrates the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy a large, combat-credible force of Soldiers and equipment from the U.S. to Europe in support of both the U.S. National Defense Strategy and objectives defined by NATO. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zoe Thacker)
            
            
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The crews began their journey to Norway, but due to unsafe wind conditions, did not complete the airdrop mission. The aircrew landed the jet in Norway, offloaded their Army brothers and sisters and continued with their portion of the exercise, moving toward Slovenia for the next leg.
Luckily, crews based at **Aviano Air Base**, Italy, for the exercise were able to safely execute airdrop activities there.
“Although weather prohibited dropping our paratroopers in Norway and Latvia, the planning and integration between our planners, joint partners and our **NATO** allies resulted in an increased level of understanding and interoperability for future integration,” Woodard said.
Our pilots, loadmasters and maintenance Airmen were as prepared as possible for Swift Response. These Airmen fully exemplified **Agile Combat Employment** and moved with precision, a warfighting mentality and teamwork with Army and allied nations.LR 



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