Scarlet Hawk 26-02 -- exercising for the 'road to war'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michaela Prince
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Exercise Scarlet Hawk 26-02 tested Airmen’s readiness at Vance Air Force Base, March 23–27, through a series of escalating “road to war” scenarios designed to mirror real-world threats.

The weeklong, installation-wide exercise included 14 distinct events aimed at evaluating the wing’s ability to respond to challenges. Simulated political tensions intensified throughout the exercise, ultimately leading to a notional deployment of U.S. forces.

To support the scenario, units across the installation executed coordinated activities that reflected deployment conditions. Airmen practiced drone response procedures, implemented heightened security measures and prepared personnel and equipment for departure, culminating in a simulated takeoff.

Exercise planners built the scenario using guidance from Department of the Air Force Instruction 90-302, incorporating essential mission tasks and feedback from previous inspections.

“The team came up with 44 objectives that we used to develop a coherent scenario,” said Maj. Brian Lange, Director of Exercises. “By steadily increasing the threat level throughout the week, we forced the Wing to move past routine operations and prove we can continue the mission in a contested environment.”

Cyber readiness also played a key role during the exercise. Simulated phishing emails were distributed to personnel to test their ability to identify and report potential cyber threats in a controlled environment.

As conditions intensified, accountability and security measures increased across the installation. Identification checks were conducted at building entry points, and the base simulated Force Protection Condition Charlie during the latter half of the exercise.

On March 26, Vance’s Chaplain Community Activity Center hosted a Personnel Deployment Function line, providing Airmen access to essential pre-deployment resources including medical, legal, military personnel flight and chaplain services.

The exercise involved coordination across 19 units and multiple external partners, including the 177th Information Aggressor Squadron from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, which acted as a cyber red team, the Enid Police Department, who provided the drone, and the 71st Special Operations Squadron who provided the CV-22 for loading as well as a capes brief and “pet the jet” opportunity.

 “This is the first time we’ve pushed the Wing at this scale,” Lange said. “It was much more like the large exercises people will experience at combat Air Force bases.”

Leaders emphasized that success was measured not only by execution, but by the lessons identified throughout the week.

“Success for this exercise is measured by the capability gaps we identified,” Lange shared. “For instance, one of the biggest challenges was communication. Identifying these issues now gives us a list of action items to ensure we are ready for whatever comes next.”

Despite those challenges, the exercise marked a significant step forward in preparing Vance Airmen for future conflicts.

“Just because we are a training base doesn’t mean we won’t be a target,” Lange reflected. “We need to be able to adapt and continue delivering world class pilots.”