A US Air Force exercise held earlier this year tested the principles of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and bolstered combat readiness among Gulf allies.

US Air Force Central (AFCENT) and regional partners in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility joined forces for Operation Agile Spartan 25.1 in late January and early February.

ACE emphasizes the use of agile tactics, such as short landing and takeoff capabilities, to respond to threats in modern contested environments. It shifts airpower from large, standalone bases to dispersed locations and cluster bases.

Operation Agile Spartan 25.1 served as AFCENT's capstone ACE exercise, validating its ability to integrate with regional partners.

Air refueling was a vital component of the multi-day exercise, which saw the deployment of multiple KC-135 Stratotankers to forward operating locations.

"Tankers like the KC-135 empower the logistical arm of a proactive and reactive operational scheme of maneuver to increase the survivability of aircraft," US Air Force Lt. Col. Alan M. Herbol said in a statement.

"They do this by generating combat airpower, creating flexibility for the combatant commander, and complicating our adversary’s ability to target our assets," he added.

In addition to the KC-135, the United States deployed A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15E Strike Eagles, C-130J Super Hercules, HC-130J Combat King IIs and HH-60 Jolly Green IIs in support of the exercise.

Regional partners

The use of ACE in the Agile Spartan exercises underscores the US military's ability to integrate with regional partners such as the Gulf states.

By engaging with partners across the world, the US Air Force heightens its awareness of the battlespace and improves its ability to operate under any conditions at any time.

Agile Spartan builds on a tradition of exercises that focus on improving responsiveness to emerging threats and bolstering security cooperation and interoperability with the Gulf states.

The United States and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- have a longstanding defense partnership that promotes regional security and stability.

Joint military exercises, such as Eagle Resolve, have played a pivotal role in enhancing interoperability and collective defense capabilities.

They deepen ties between nations and between troops on an interpersonal level, allowing them to train and operate together more effectively.

In the face of emerging regional threats, joint exercises with the United States are an essential means of reinforcing collective defense capabilities, bolstering security partnerships and readiness across the Gulf region.