Across dozens of locations, thousands of miles and every major domain, the Department of the Air Force launched a synchronized set of large-scale exercises in 2025. The Department-Level Exercise (DLE) is more than a training opportunity; they are a strategic readiness campaign.     

  Leaders want to know whether Airman and Guardians can operate at scale, under pressure and with little warning, just as they would need to in a high-end, contested environment. 

  The DLE series does not simulate ideal conditions. It’s designed to stress-test the Air Force and Space Force, replicating the complexity, friction and urgency of modern warfighting. DLE includes months of planning, synchronized execution and real-time assessment.  

  Planning began more than a year in advance. Major commands, headquarters staff, joint teammates and allies aligned previously independent exercises under one framework. Tabletop exercises, wargaming and deliberate design helped identify gaps, prepare participants and synchronize force presentation. 
 

Strap it down. A U.S. Air Force Airman assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing secures an HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter in place inside of a C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft during exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andre Medina)

  “My approach starts with clarity of purpose,” said Lt. Col. Alex Rich, 57th Wing operations and exercise director. “We ask ourselves: what warfighting skills do we need to sharpen, and how can we create conditions that force Airmen to lead, adapt and problem-solve under pressure? That drives everything we build. We’re not just running a training event—we’re designing a high-end, contested environment that prepares Airmen to execute Agile Combat Employment (ACE) in the most demanding scenarios. It’s about developing leaders and warfighters who are ready for what’s next.”   

  Wargaming played a key role in stress-testing assumptions and helping leaders explore challenges before they happened. 

  “The fight in the Pacific is the fight to the fight,” said Ronnie Betts, wargaming specialist at the Air Force Wargaming Institute. “Logistics is hard, especially going in that tyranny of distance.” 

  That mindset helped planners simulate the complexity and friction of contested operations. 

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryce Hirigoyen, 138th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard, looks at data during exercise Resolute Space 2025 at the Guam National Guard Readiness Center, Guam, July 16, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jade Caldwell)

  When the DLE series kicked off, it marked a shift from theory to test. Thousands of personnel across multiple domains and commands operated in dispersed, resource-constrained environments designed to mimic the chaos of conflict.  
 
  ACE was a central feature of these operations. Wings deployed rapidly, stood up forward locations with limited support and executed missions under conditions designed to replicate the uncertainty of conflict.  
 
  “During the employment phase of the DLE series, we anticipated a dynamic operational environment that would challenge our adaptability, coordination and mission command principles—and that’s exactly what unfolded,” said Lt. Col. Edward Silva, C-17 Mission Generation Force Element commander for the DLE 2025 and 21st Airlift Squadron commander. “Our team seamlessly integrated with the 36th Wing to establish force bed down and actively partnered with our international allies to align on shared objectives.”  

  Exercises were deliberately built to integrate specialties and stress decision-making. Airmen were challenged to improvise, communicate and execute under conditions that evolve in real time. 

Training for proficiency: C-17 crew practices cargo drops during TS25. A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, conducts cargo airdrop proficiency training over the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility during Talisman Sabre 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Eric Summers)

  Master Sgt. James Johnson, 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron operations flight chief described the tests of agility and communication. “Who do I need to communicate with, how does my crew get out to the aircraft, how do we get to our patients, and do they have everything they need to be set up for success,” Johnson said. “I find that missions happen much easier as you build relationships with the different units and agencies on the left and the right-hand side to get the mission to happen and execute properly. One of those relationships is good communication and being flexible.”    

  Real-time feedback and structured debriefs helped transform action into learning. Lessons were documented across echelons, allowing insights from Airmen to inform future training and strategy development. 

  “Exercises tell us how you train is how you’re going to fight,” said Allen Moore, program manager for Air Force Lessons Learned. “Because if you didn’t train to do it, you’re not going to do it, especially out of the gate.”  

Master Sgt. James Johnson, 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron operations flight chief, poses for a portrait May 30, 2025, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The 375th AES conducted a Tactical Aeromedical Evacuation Simulation exercise in May, challenging both new and experienced Airmen with a mass-casualty scenario. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tyler Prince)