Air Force examines emerging tactics during Bamboo Eagle

More than 10,000 personnel from the Department of Defense, the United Kingdom, and Australia participated in exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3, a combat-representative exercise including operational test and evaluation experts from the 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron.  The OT&E experts’ mission was to test critical command, control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and tactics during the large-scale, joint exercise spanning multiple locations across the Western United States, designated sea and airspace in the eastern Pacific, and several virtual and constructive components, Aug. 5-9. 

The 605th TES, the U.S. Air Force's sole operational test squadron dedicated to C2ISR, focused on identifying vulnerabilities and improving coordination between different levels of command while several entities were executing agile combat employment techniques in a high-intensity conflict against a peer adversary.

A vital part of this effort involved developing and executing the squadron's first-ever mission-under-test observation and tactics investigation plan, which provided an end-to-end look at the complex process of planning and executing long-range kill chains across 11 different lines of effort. The endeavor included involved deploying test experts to eight locations, including the Air Operations Center, Joint Battle Watch, and several hub and spoke locations throughout the area of responsibility, enabling them to gain maximum situational awareness and interact with exercise participants.

Assessment Areas:

• Joint Multi-Domain Operations: The exercise underscored the ability of U.S. and allied partners to execute complex, multi-domain operations and long-range strikes at the speed and scale necessary to counter a near-peer threat.
• Non-Traditional C2 and ISR Teaming: The team evaluated the integration and execution of innovative C2 and ISR concepts to speed targeting and execution, both in the air and on the ground, in direct support of U.S. and allied warfighters.
• Friendly Order of Battle Awareness: An examination of Bamboo Eagle’s tactics was conducted to assess how well forces at the operational-level maintained awareness of friendly positions and capabilities, a critical factor for successful combat operations.
• Additional Assessments: Several other vital systems, software applications, and tactics were also evaluated, including the E-3 Airborne Early Warning and Control System, or AWACS, survivability tactics; Common Mission Control Center, integration; electromagnetic spectrum characterization methods; distributed tactical C2 functions; and the use of distributed mission planning (Web-based Information Dominant Warfare [WIDOW]) and wing operations center (C2 Incident Management Emergency Response Application [C2IMERA]) applications.

“The data and insights gathered during Bamboo Eagle 24-3 will inform a series of comprehensive reports and recommendations, which will be shared with the U.S. Air Force’s Combat Air Forces and allies to drive necessary changes and improvements to ensure favorable operational outcomes in future conflicts,” said Lt. Col. Brad Short, 605th TES commander, Hurlburt Field, Fla. “This rigorous testing and evaluation process is vital to maintaining the U.S. military's technological edge and combat effectiveness in this era of Great Power Competition.”