Taking Flight Together: Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR Strengthens Regional Coalitions
## Forging Strong Partnerships through Airpower
A multinational air exercise, Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR is underway, with U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcons, alongside KC-135 Stratotankers, conducting joint operations with regional allies. The exercise aims to bolster regional security by strengthening partnerships and enhancing interoperability through advanced air operations.
“The whole point of this exercise is to develop ground planning,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William “Skate” Parks, 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (EFS) commander.
“We integrate with our coalition partners and learn their capabilities then go airborne,” added Parks. “We’re bringing our forces into the airspace to apply planned tactics and build upon integration with them.”
## Sharing Knowledge and Expertise: Building Common Ground
Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR emphasizes collaboration between participating nations, starting with a subject matter expert exchange. Pilots from both sides exchanged tactics and operational strategies, creating a foundational understanding and highlighting the importance of mutual knowledge.
Capt. Connor “Bird Dog” Schneider Mundt, 480th EFS F-16 pilot, emphasized: “Our partners are looking to grow their operational capabilities. We help by explaining our capabilities and how we implement these systems. We want to give our allies insight into how we use our tools and have them potentially adopt similar approaches.”
The subject matter exchange provides a critical understanding before moving to live training missions.
## A Joint Effort: Honing Skills Across Skies
Beyond theoretical contexts, Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR emphasizes hands-on practice. KC-135 Stratotankers carry out live training missions, refuelling both American and allied aircraft, providing invaluable experience in executing complex coalition operations.
“We dedicate a lot of time, effort, and energy to learning about our tactics, systems, and adversaries,” said Capt. Mundt. “The purpose of all that training is to apply classroom knowledge in a practical setting. Working with our partners illuminates areas for improvement.”
The seamless integration of air assets highlights how valuable this training is for participating nations.
## Building Understanding: The Vital Link of Teamwork
“Flying side-by-side and seeing firsthand how these different air forces operate has been extremely beneficial for our crews,” said Lt.
Col. Parks. “This exercise gives
us added opportunities to learn from our partners, as we share tactics and experiences. Building trust and camaraderie is key.”
“[Our partners] play a critical role because they have a very capable Air Force,” added U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Parks. We want to ensure that
we can integrate with them effectively. Whether it’s overflight, shared tactics,
or airborne operations, close partnership makes us a more effective
force.”
What specific tactics are shared and practiced during the subject matter exchange and airborne missions of Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR?
## Taking Flight Together: An Interview on Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re focusing on international security cooperation with a special guest, Lieutenant Colonel William ‘Skate’ Parks, commander of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. Welcome to the show, Lieutenant Colonel.
**Lt. Col. Parks:** Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Host:** You’re currently participating in Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR, a multinational air exercise. Can you tell us a bit about the exercise’s goals and what makes it so unique?
**Lt. Col. Parks:** Absolutely. Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR is all about strengthening our regional partnerships and enhancing our ability to work together in the air. We have U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcons and KC-135 Stratotankers flying alongside our allied partners, conducting joint operations and learning from each other. It’s a crucial opportunity to build trust, share tactics, and improve our interoperability.
**Host:**
You mentioned sharing tactics. Can you elaborate on how that information exchange works during the exercise?
**Lt. Col. Parks:** We begin with a subject matter exchange where pilots from all participating nations come together. We share our experiences, discuss different approaches to air operations, and learn about each other’s capabilities. This creates a foundation of mutual understanding which is then put into practice during our airborne missions.
**Host:** Sounds like a valuable experience for everyone involved. What are some of the key takeaways you hope participants will gain from Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR?
**Lt. Col. Parks:** We want participants to leave with a deeper understanding of how to operate effectively as a team. We want to see improved communication, coordination, and trust between our aircrews. Ultimately, the goal is to build a strong regional coalition that can work together seamlessly to address shared security challenges.
**Host:** Those are certainly important objectives. Lieutenant Colonel Parks, thank you for sharing your insights on Exercise PHOENIX ARMOR. We wish you and all participants continued success in strengthening regional partnerships.
**Lt. Col. Parks:** Thank you for having me.
