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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessRapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness
                        
                        
                        U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tim Shelton, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing quality assurance chief inspector, checks his equipment during exercise Rapid Weasel at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, April 25, 2019. Rapid Weasel was the cooperative effort of several Air Force units who came together to test their ability rapidly project combat power. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Cope)
                
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        Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessRapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness
                        
                        
                        A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules takes off while another C-130J prepares for defueling during exercise Rapid Weasel at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, April 24, 2019. Two C-130J Hercules aircraft and approximately 60 Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, deployed to Spangdahlem to participate in the exercise and help better prepare for contingency operations across the world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Preston Cherry)
                
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        Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessRapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness
                        
                        
                        A C-130J Super Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron takes off during exercise Rapid Weasel at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, April 25, 2019. This exercise demonstrates the rapid ability to forward deploy with few aircraft and personnel to execute flying operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder)
                
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        Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessRapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness
                        
                        
                        An F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron sits on the ramp as a C-130J Super Hercules of the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, prepares to taxi during exercise Rapid Weasel at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, April 25, 2019. Both squadrons worked together to simulated and overcome challenges associated with operating in austere conditions. (U.S. Air Force Photo by 1st Lt. Casey Rodriguez)
                
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        Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessRapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness
                        
                        
                        U.S. Air Force Airmen unload inert weapons from a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing , Ramstein Air Base, Germany, during exercise Rapid Weasel at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, April 25, 2019. The exercise demonstrated rapid deployment capabilities with simulated austere airfield operations to sharpen readiness and underscore U.S. commitment to regional security. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Preston Cherry)
                
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        Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessRapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing offload cargo from a C-130J Super Hercules during exercise Rapid Weasel on the flightline at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, April 25, 2019. The Airmen and aircraft forward deployed here to simulate operating in a austere airfield environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder)
                
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Exercise Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readinessPublished April 30, 2019
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Kyle Cope
                    
                    
                    52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS)-- --**Members of the 52nd Fighter Wing participated in exercise Rapid Weasel April 24 and 25 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
“Rapid Weasel was a demonstration of the 52nd FW’s ability to rapidly project combat power by opening an airfield, refueling and re-arming fighter aircraft, then quickly departing to other locations,” said Lt. Col. Leonardo Tongko, 435th Contingency Response Squadron commander.
Rapid Weasel was a readiness exercise for Spangdahlem AB to continue to improve its procedures and increase readiness.
“It is important that we have these type of exercises to allow us to combine and test our capabilities as one team as rapidly as we can to start generating the mission,” said Capt. Robert Bligh, 435th CRS maintenance flight commander. “This in turn allows us to learn and develop new techniques and procedures that we can share with other units and our NATO allies. These exercises also enable us to think outside of our norms of home station operations to what future potential operating locations might be.”
The exercise was a cooperative effort between the 52nd FW and units from five other wings.
“More than 100 Airmen across 24 different career fields participated in this event,” Tongko said.
The integrated effort provided the team with more opportunities to simulate different situations and test the overall response to each of those scenarios.
“It was great working with the 52nd FW as the host base for this exercise,” Tongko said. “Working in conjunction with our 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing counterparts on the Air Mobility Command ramp allowed us to replicate different scenarios, as well as different types of airfield environments from main operating base and austere locations while doing so in a controlled environment. This type of host-base integration not only gives us the support needed to execute safely, but it truly allows us to push the envelope of integrating combat capabilities.”
This year’s Rapid Weasel was the first of several possible exercises with the Rapid Weasel teams.
“The past five months have been challenging but rewarding,” Bligh said. “Working with all the agencies and key players allowed all of us to learn from one another to provide multiple solutions that made this exercise a success. I can’t thank enough all those involved from the initial thought of this exercise to its execution. This was just the first of what I hope to be many future iterations with these organizations.”
Rapid Weasel leadership felt the exercise was a success, will propel integration of innovation and would help drive the Air Force in the direction Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein wants to see the Air Force go.
“As General Goldfein has said, ‘it is not enough to innovate, but we must also rapidly integrate these innovations,’ and I think that General Goldfein would be proud to see that we did just that for Rapid Weasel,” Tongko said.LR 



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