US Air Force Prepares Large-Scale Exercise in Western Pacific to Test Force Mobilization.

The US Air Force is preparing to conduct a large-scale exercise in the Western Pacific next summer as part of its efforts to test and improve its ability to rapidly mass airpower in response to a potential conflict in the region, as reported by Business Insider. This exercise, known as REFORPAC (Return of Forces to the Pacific), was detailed by General David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, during a presentation at the Hudson Institute.
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U.S. and Allied aircraft perform an elephant walk at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on July 19, 2023, as part of exercises involving over 15,000 personnel to improve readiness and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific region.(Picture source: US DoD)

REFORPAC draws inspiration from Cold War exercises called "Return of Forces to Germany," which aimed to test the ability of the United States and its NATO allies to quickly deploy military forces to Germany in the event of conflict with the Soviet Union. Similarly, REFORPAC aims to prepare the Air Force for the growing threat posed by the People's Republic of China. This two-week exercise, scheduled for the summer of 2025, will coincide with the multinational Talisman Sabre exercise and is part of the Air Force's reorientation towards great power competition.

The exercise will involve forces from Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and various locations across the continental United States, spanning approximately 14 days. General Allvin explained that REFORPAC is integrated into INDOPACOM's (United States Indo-Pacific Command) campaign plans and the Pacific Air Forces' approach to supporting these plans. This large-scale exercise aims to assess the Air Force's ability to deploy forces in a complex environment, maintain operations, and ensure logistics under pressure, including munitions and fuel.

REFORPAC will involve multiple commands, including US Strategic Command, US Northern Command, US Indo-Pacific Command, and Air Mobility Command, which previously organized the Mobility Guardian 2023 exercise in the Pacific. That iteration brought together 70 aircraft and 3,000 personnel, testing the logistical challenges of mobilizing forces in the Indo-Pacific region. REFORPAC will similarly seek to identify potential gaps and enhance preparedness ahead of any real conflict.

As with Mobility Guardian, allies will play a key role in REFORPAC. This exercise will be integrated with Talisman Sabre, a joint US-Australia exercise that has expanded to include a dozen countries and around 30,000 military personnel. In 2023, USAF F-22s, KC-46s, and C-17s participated in the exercise. REFORPAC will not be a one-time event but will mark the beginning of a series of large-scale exercises aimed at strengthening the Air Force's ability to respond to global threats.

General Allvin emphasized that the complexity of REFORPAC, with its many challenges, will allow for testing capabilities in a realistic scenario, exposing potential difficulties related to a conflict with China in the largest geographic command area. The goal is to uncover issues that smaller exercises might not reveal and ensure the Air Force is prepared to operate in a highly contested environment.

Thus, the Air Force is seeking to prepare for a future conflict by testing its ability to rapidly mobilize dispersed forces across the Pacific while strengthening ties with regional allies. REFORPAC will be a crucial test to measure the Air Force's capacity to respond to an imminent threat in the Indo-Pacific region.