KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- To prepare the joint force for high-end conflict, the 705th Combat Training Squadron hosted Virtual Flag 26-4 from August 4-7, bringing together co-located and distributed players in a large-scale, simulated command and control exercise that successfully integrated tactical and operational-level C2.
The foundation of joint warfighting is built in exercises like Virtual Flag. This event is where we prove that we are the Air Force's premier organization for operational command and control. By bringing together operators from every service and our key allies, we are not just testing systems; we are building the integrated, combat-ready teams required to succeed in any environment.”
Col. James Fields II, 505th Command and Control Wing commander
The exercise brought together operators from the U.S. Air Force, Space Force, Army, and Marine Corps, alongside key coalition partners from the United Kingdom and Australia, to practice executing war-winning airpower in a realistic, virtual battlespace.
“The foundation of joint warfighting is built in exercises like Virtual Flag,” said U.S. Air Force Col. James Fields II, 505th Command and Control Wing commander. “This event is where we prove that we are the Air Force's premier organization for operational command and control. By bringing together operators from every service and our key allies, we are not just testing systems; we are building the integrated, combat-ready teams required to succeed in any environment.”
Building a Realistic, Multi-Domain Battlespace
A key focus of VF 26-4 was replicating the realistic friction between the tactical and operational levels of C2, a challenge that requires deep integration across the joint force.
“For this exercise, Marine Air Support Squadron 1 was instrumental,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. James McCarthy, 705th CTS director of operations. “They provided the critical expertise needed to ensure every single participant, from our pilots in the virtual simulators to our commanders in the AOC, was looking at the exact same, accurate common tactical picture. That shared view of the battlespace is the absolute foundation of joint C2.”
Another major objective was to challenge battle managers with a robust, realistic intelligence picture, requiring the deep integration of the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance enterprise.
“In a peer conflict, identifying tracks and targets is going to require a robust ISR enterprise,” McCarthy explained. “Rather than just white-carding the answers, we had actual operators from the MQ-9 Reaper and RC-135 Rivet Joint communities participating. This is extremely valuable because it helps our C2 community understand what the ISR enterprise can and cannot provide in a high-tempo fight.”
The exercise provided a unique training opportunity for the ISR crews as well. The MQ-9 operators were tasked with not only identifying targets but also aiding in personnel recovery efforts for simulated downed pilots. Simultaneously, the RC-135 crews were critical in helping to identify key targets for strike packages.
“It gives these communities an opportunity to participate in a mission set that they may not be able to get after back home,” McCarthy added.
Training the Warfighter at Every Echelon
Serving as the exercise's operational-level C2 hub, the 505th Combat Training Squadron provided a robust and realistic Air Operations Center replication, driving the scenario for the entire joint and coalition team.
“Our team provided realistic AOC replication, serving as the operational-level C2 hub for the joint training audience,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jason Guest, 505th CTS commander. “This high-fidelity environment was especially critical for our Air Expeditionary Wing participants, as it provided the realistic operational C2 link they needed to validate their distributed command and control training.”
The exercise provided a critical training environment for two Air Expeditionary Wings challenging their C2 Force Elements to execute distributed C2 in a contested, simulated agile combat employment scenario. This forced commanders to make difficult decisions regarding both mission execution and survival under realistic constraints.
“Stepping into a Wing Operations Center to manage six Mission Generation Force Elements across three simulated bases is a massive departure from our Airmen's daily tactical routines, and Virtual Flag 26-4 provided the proving ground,” said a U.S. Air Force major serving as the VF 26-4 exercise deputy offensive director. “What started as an uncomfortable learning curve quickly turned into operational confidence as our team synchronized our offensive and defensive sections from home station. They streamlined our internal reporting, integrated real-time logistics and base defense with sortie generation, and proved our forces are ready to execute distributed command and control under contested conditions.”
A Global, Coalition Effort
Integrating coalition partners from the U.K. and Australia was another key objective.
“There are immense benefits from connecting the Air Battlespace Training Centre at Royal Air Force Waddington and the DMOC’s systems,” said RAF Wing Commander Richard Kinniburgh, 505th Test and Training Group Deputy Commander and RAF Exchange Officer. “With the increasing dependency on virtual training for major exercises, this partnership is more critical than ever for ensuring our forces are ready to operate together.”
Ultimately, the DMOC provides a cost-effective, repeatable, and highly flexible training venue that live-fly exercises cannot match.
“The virtual environment allows us to provide high-quality, high-repetition training in a fiscally responsible manner,” McCarthy concluded. “More importantly, it allows us to present our warfighters with a scale of conflict that would be impossible to replicate in a live-fly exercise. We also remove many of the real-world friction points that can cancel live-fly training, ensuring our warfighters get the maximum training value out of every event.”