Defense & Military
Bamboo Eagle: A New Era in Agile Combat Training and Readiness
The Significance of Bamboo Eagle: A New Era of Agile Combat Training
The “Bamboo Eagle” exercise represents a pivotal shift in modern military training, designed to prepare air forces for the complexities of multi-domain warfare and Agile Combat Employment (ACE). As global tensions rise and the nature of conflict evolves, exercises like Bamboo Eagle are critical in ensuring that the U.S. Air Force and its allies remain ready to face emerging threats. The 2025 iteration of Bamboo Eagle, which involved over 175 aircraft and 10,000 personnel from four countries, underscores the importance of international collaboration and advanced training in maintaining global security.
This exercise builds on the foundation laid by previous Red Flag exercises, incorporating elements of ACE and multi-domain operations to simulate real-world combat scenarios. By focusing on re-arming, refueling, and operating in austere environments, Bamboo Eagle provides a realistic training environment that challenges aircrews and ground personnel alike. The inclusion of allied forces, such as the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), further enhances interoperability and strengthens global defense partnerships.
The significance of Bamboo Eagle extends beyond its immediate training objectives. It serves as a demonstration of the U.S. Air Force’s ability to project power and deter adversaries across the globe. By testing and refining tactics, techniques, and procedures in a high-threat environment, the exercise ensures that the Air Force remains at the forefront of military innovation and readiness.
Key Components of Bamboo Eagle 25-1
Bamboo Eagle 25-1 was a massive undertaking, involving a wide range of aircraft and personnel from multiple branches of the U.S. military and allied nations. The exercise featured bombers, fighters, tankers, command and control platforms, and ISR drones, all working together to execute complex missions. The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber played a central role, with crews from the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron practicing long-range deep strike missions. According to Lt. Col. Joseph Manglitz, the exercise was a “real test” of the B-2’s capabilities, highlighting the importance of training in diverse and challenging environments.
In addition to bombers, the exercise included a variety of fighter aircraft, such as the F-35 Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet, and Typhoon FGR4. These aircraft were tasked with offensive and defensive counter-air missions, long-range Pacific flights, and escort operations. The integration of these platforms with other assets, such as tankers and ISR drones, was a key focus of the exercise. As Lt. Col. Bryan Mussler noted, the unpredictability of Bamboo Eagle provided a realistic look at what future conflicts might entail.
The exercise also emphasized the importance of mobility and logistics in modern warfare. Aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster III and KC-46 Pegasus were used to deliver personnel, equipment, and supplies to forward-deployed locations. This aspect of the exercise highlighted the critical role of rapid global mobility in sustaining operations in contested environments. The participation of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in command and control operations further demonstrated the value of international collaboration in achieving mission success.
“Bamboo Eagle provides us an opportunity to align with the warrior ethos mentality. It’s one thing to train at home—and we train hard at home—but it’s even better to bring a subset of our base on the road here and work together to generate airpower alongside the rest of the combat air force and our allies.” – Lt. Col. Joseph Manglitz, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron Commander
Innovations and Future Implications
One of the most notable aspects of Bamboo Eagle 25-1 was its integration of live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) scenarios. This approach allowed participants to tackle issues such as distributed command and control, communications degradation, and logistics challenges in a realistic training environment. The exercise also featured the use of Integrated Sensing and Effects Teams (ISET) and Distributed C2 teams, which provided real-time data and ensured command and control resiliency in advanced, non-permissive battlefield conditions.
The exercise also marked significant progress in coalition integration. Multinational leaders and subject matter experts worked together to develop tactics, techniques, and procedures, with allies from Australia and the UK taking on key leadership roles within the Air Operations Center (AOC). This level of collaboration is essential for addressing the challenges of modern warfare, particularly in the Indo-Pacific theater, where the U.S. and its allies must work together to maintain regional stability and security.
Looking ahead, the lessons learned from Bamboo Eagle 25-1 will inform future training exercises and operational planning. The emphasis on Agile Combat Employment and multi-domain operations will continue to shape the U.S. Air Force’s approach to warfare, ensuring that it remains prepared to face the evolving threats of the 21st century. As the global security landscape becomes increasingly complex, exercises like Bamboo Eagle will play a crucial role in maintaining the readiness and effectiveness of the U.S. military and its allies.
Conclusion
Bamboo Eagle 25-1 was a landmark exercise that demonstrated the U.S. Air Force’s commitment to innovation, readiness, and international collaboration. By bringing together over 175 aircraft and 10,000 personnel from multiple countries, the exercise provided a realistic training environment that tested and refined the tactics, techniques, and procedures needed to succeed in modern warfare. The integration of multi-domain operations, Agile Combat Employment, and coalition forces highlighted the importance of adaptability and interoperability in addressing the challenges of Great Power Competition.
As the U.S. Air Force continues to evolve, exercises like Bamboo Eagle will remain a cornerstone of its training regimen. The lessons learned from this exercise will inform future operations and ensure that the Air Force remains prepared to face the threats of tomorrow. By fostering collaboration with allies and embracing innovative approaches to warfare, the U.S. Air Force is positioning itself to maintain its strategic advantage in an increasingly complex global security environment.
FAQ
What is the purpose of the Bamboo Eagle exercise?
The Bamboo Eagle exercise is designed to prepare air forces for multi-domain warfare and Agile Combat Employment (ACE) by simulating real-world combat scenarios and enhancing interoperability with allied forces.
Which countries participated in Bamboo Eagle 25-1?
The exercise involved personnel and aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marines, Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
What types of aircraft were used in the exercise?
The exercise included bombers (B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress), fighters (F-35 Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet), tankers (KC-46 Pegasus, KC-135 Stratotanker), and ISR drones (MQ-9 Reaper), among others.
Sources: Air Combat Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Air & Space Forces Magazine
Defense & Military
F-22 Raptor Pilot Controls Anduril YFQ-44A Fury Drone in Flight
A USAF F-22 pilot directed an Anduril YFQ-44A Fury drone in flight in October 2026, validating the CCA airborne quarterback concept.
A United States Air Force (USAF) Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor pilot successfully executed airborne tactical command and in-flight control of an Anduril Industries YFQ-44A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) during a flight test in early October 2026.
The Department of the Air Force announced the milestone in an October 16, 2026, press release. The event marks the first time a crewed fighter has directed a semi-autonomous uncrewed wingman in flight, validating the “airborne quarterback” concept central to the military branch’s future air combat strategy.
Validating the airborne quarterback concept
The flight test involved personnel from the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base in California and the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The effort also integrated teams from the 309th Software Engineering Group, the Experimental Operations Unit, the F-22 System Program Office, and the CCA Software Autonomy and Teaming Branch. During the sortie, the F-22 pilot issued high-level tactical directives to the YFQ-44A, which operated semi-autonomously to execute the commands.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach stated the flight demonstrates the power of crewed-uncrewed teaming and the advantage it provides to warfighters.
“We must test often, learn fast and give commanders what they need, when they need it,” Wilsbach said in the official release.
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink emphasized the rapid development cycle required to field these systems.
“This achievement demonstrates what is possible when we are aligned with industry on a shared imperative: delivering capability to the warfighter at unprecedented speed,” Meink said. “We are driving urgency into every part of acquisition from rapid integration and flight learning to disciplined assessment, so we can turn promising technology into combat capability at the pace the threat demands.”
The path to Increment 1 fielding
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft program is a USAF initiative designed to develop semi-autonomous uncrewed aircraft that will fly alongside crewed fighters. These include the F-22, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, and the future Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform. The F-22 Raptor serves as the threshold platform for the program, designating it as the first crewed aircraft integrated to pair with and control the drones in flight.
The YFQ-44A Fury originated with Blue Force Technologies, a drone manufacturer acquired by Anduril Industries in September 2023. The aircraft is a fighter-like uncrewed combat aerial vehicle powered by a Williams FJ44-4M turbofan engine. It is engineered to pull up to 9g and fly at speeds reaching Mach 0.95.
The October 2026 tactical control demonstration follows a series of rapid developmental milestones. Earlier in 2026, a Fury drone successfully launched an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). In September 2026, Anduril conducted tests involving the Fury flying in formation with F-35 fighters, although the crewed aircraft were not yet issuing mid-air commands during those sorties.
On September 14, 2026, the Air Force officially named the two Increment 1 CCA designs: the Anduril FQ-44 Fury and the General Atomics FQ-42 Vengeance. General Atomics serves as the other prime contractor for the first increment of the program.
Shifting air combat strategy toward affordable mass
The CCA program represents a fundamental shift in military aviation strategy. The USAF is moving toward a concept of affordable mass, pairing highly capable and expensive crewed fighters with cheaper, semi-attritable uncrewed systems.
The Department of the Air Force intends to have 500 combat-ready, semi-autonomous CCA systems in service by 2032. The overall planned fleet size for the program is projected to reach 1,000 aircraft.
AirPro News analysis
The successful integration of the F-22 Raptor with the YFQ-44A Fury marks a critical transition from theoretical doctrine to operational reality. By proving that a single pilot can manage a semi-autonomous wingman while flying a fifth-generation fighter, the USAF has cleared a major technical hurdle in the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. We view this milestone as a strong indicator that the aggressive 2032 fielding timeline for 500 combat-ready systems remains viable. Establishing the F-22 as the threshold platform provides a mature testing environment that will likely accelerate the eventual integration of these uncrewed systems with the F-35 and the Next-Generation Air Dominance platform.
Photo Credit: US Air Force – Senior Airman Renee Blundon
Defense & Military
S&K Aerospace Wins $4.3B U.S. Air Force PROS 7 Contract
S&K Aerospace secured a $4.3B IDIQ contract to manage PROS 7, supporting 100+ FMS partner nations through 2039.
S&K Aerospace, LLC (SKA) has secured a $4.3 billion single-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to manage the U.S. Air Forces Parts and Repair Ordering System 7 (PROS 7).
Announced in a press release on October 5, 2026, the agreement tasks the Montana-based company with providing critical supply, repair, and logistics support for non-standard and difficult-to-support items to more than 100 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) partner nations across the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy.
Contract scope and operational details
The PROS 7 contract serves as a vital logistics bridge for international allies operating U.S.-manufactured military equipment. Through the program, S&K Aerospace will provide Commercial Buying Services (CBS) to procure parts and manage repair services for components that are no longer standard or are otherwise difficult to support through traditional supply chains.
According to the official award notice from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), the contract features a maximum ordering period of 10 years, structured as a one-year base period followed by nine one-year options. A subsequent three-year closeout period brings the expected completion date to September 30, 2039. While S&K Aerospace is headquartered in St. Ignatius, Montana, the operational work for PROS 7 will be conducted in Warner Robins, Georgia.
The contract was officially awarded on September 16, 2026, before the public announcement on October 5, 2026. Tony Amadeo, President of S&K Aerospace, credited the company’s historical performance for the successful bid.
“We had an outstanding team across B&P, Pricing, Contracts, HR, IT/IRM, Quality and our technical and operational organizations that put an enormous amount of work into PROS 7. But we also would not be here without the PROS IV and PROS V teams who have been executing this mission for more than 15 years. Their performance built the customer trust, supplier relationships and reputation that we carried into this competition. We didn’t just show up and win PROS 7 — this team earned it over a lot of years.”
Competitive acquisition and corporate background
The AFLCMC at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio managed the procurement as a two-phase competitive acquisition. Government records indicate four offers were received during the initial phase, with three advancing to the final selection round. The resulting agreement is structured primarily as a fixed-price contract, incorporating cost-type contract line item numbers for vendor-invoiced material and maintenance pass-through costs.
S&K Aerospace brings extensive institutional knowledge to the PROS 7 program, having previously managed the PROS IV and PROS V iterations over the past 15 years. The Department of Defense awarded the $4.2 billion PROS V contract to the company on November 2, 2016.
The company operates as a subsidiary of S&K Technologies, Inc., a tribally owned corporation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) of the Flathead Nation. Revenues generated by the aerospace division and other subsidiaries are reinvested into the CSKT Tribal General Fund to support community programs and services on the reservation.
The PROS 7 award follows another major federal contract secured by the company earlier in the year. In May 2026, the Department of Defense selected S&K Aerospace as an awardee on the Contract Field Teams (CFT) Labor Augmentation Support Requirements (LASR) multiple-award IDIQ contract, a vehicle with a maximum ceiling value of $7.009 billion.
AirPro News analysis
The decision to award PROS 7 to the incumbent contractor underscores the U.S. Air Force’s prioritization of supply chain stability for its international partners. Managing non-standard and out-of-production parts requires an established network of specialized vendors and repair facilities. By retaining S&K Aerospace, the AFLCMC avoids the transition risks associated with transferring a complex, global logistics network to a new prime contractor. This continuity is particularly critical for Foreign Military Sales customers utilizing aging platforms that rely entirely on the PROS framework for sustainment.
Photo Credit: S&K Aerospace
Defense & Military
EDA Launches 8M Euro Phase Two Autonomous UAV Refueling Project
The EDA commits 8M euros to automate hose-and-drogue air-to-air refueling for UAVs with partners from Spain, Germany, and Belgium.
The European Defence Agency (EDA) has initiated the second phase of a research project designed to automate hose-and-drogue mid-air refueling for uncrewed aerial vehicles. Announced on October 9, 2026, the €8 million effort brings together defense contractors and research institutes from Spain, Germany, and Belgium to solve the complex aerodynamics and control challenges of autonomous tanker operations.
The project targets a critical capability gap for future European and NATO Air Forces. By developing systems capable of coordinating multiple unmanned receivers with a single tanker simultaneously, the consortium aims to establish the technical foundation for autonomous air-to-air refueling (A4R) operations. According to the EDA, this capability is essential for ensuring interoperability among allied nations deploying next-generation combat drones.
Advancing autonomous refueling capabilities
The second phase of the project officially advanced on October 8, 2026. The EDA outlined that the development will unfold across three distinct stages. The consortium will begin with simulated multi-aircraft refueling operations to test coordination algorithms before moving to laboratory testing utilizing robotic arms to simulate the physical connection. The final stage will involve ground and flight tests using an Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and an experimental aircraft provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
The engineering and testing workload is distributed among the three participating nations. Spain is represented by Airbus Defence and Space and technology firm GMV. The German contingent includes Airbus Defence and Space, the DLR, and AES Technology. Belgium’s participation involves ScioTeq and the Von Karman Institute.
Building on Phase One foundations
This new €8 million investment builds directly on the results of the project’s first phase, which the EDA launched on December 21, 2022, with a €4 million budget. The initial phase focused on proving the technical feasibility of automated hose-and-drogue refueling. This method is widely used by European air forces but is inherently more difficult to automate than rigid boom systems due to the flexibility and aerodynamic instability of the trailing hose.
During Phase One, researchers utilized an Airbus A330 MRTT tanker alongside a German Panavia Tornado and a Spanish McDonnell Douglas EF-18 Hornet. The consortium successfully developed camera-based tracking systems capable of monitoring both the drogue and the receiver aircraft. The teams also tested drogue stabilization techniques required for uncrewed receivers to make safe and reliable contact.
Airbus expands its automated refueling portfolio
Airbus Defence and Space occupies a central role in the EDA consortium, reflecting the manufacturer’s broader push into automated refueling technologies across multiple platforms. The company has independently pursued A4R capabilities through its Auto’Mate demonstrator program. That initiative previously utilized an Airbus A310 tanker and DT-25 target drones to validate formation flight and automatic contact procedures.
The EDA project aligns with parallel developments in Airbus’s crewed and uncrewed portfolios. In February 2026, Singapore became the first country to achieve full certification for Airbus’s Automatic Air-to-Air Refuelling (A3R) boom operations in both day and night conditions. Shortly after, on March 4, 2026, the EDA selected Airbus Helicopters subsidiary Survey Copter for the €1.1 million Multi Mission Unmanned Aircraft System (M2UAS) project. That contract focuses on developing a hybrid uncrewed aircraft based on the Capa-X drone, which will also be designed to accept automated in-flight refueling.
Strategic implications for European air combat
Automating air-to-air refueling for uncrewed systems is considered a mandatory capability for next-generation air combat systems. Extending the range and loiter time of uncrewed aerial vehicles without requiring human pilot intervention allows air forces to project power further and maintain persistent surveillance or strike capabilities.
Spain has positioned itself as a primary driver of this technology within Europe. The Spanish Ministry of Defence has identified air-to-air refueling as a priority within its Defence Technology and Innovation Strategy (ETID 2026), aiming to establish the country as a global leader in the sector. The Airbus A330 MRTT, which serves as the baseline tanker for these tests, has secured orders from 14 countries, cementing its position as the primary aerial refueling platform for European and allied nations.
AirPro News analysis
The transition from automated boom refueling for crewed aircraft to autonomous hose-and-drogue refueling for uncrewed systems represents a massive leap in aerodynamic and computational complexity. While rigid booms can be actively steered by a boom operator into a receiver’s receptacle, hose-and-drogue systems require the receiver aircraft to do the maneuvering. For a drone, this means processing complex wake turbulence and drogue movement in real time without human depth perception or intuition.
If the EDA consortium can successfully demonstrate multi-drone refueling from a single A330 MRTT, it will fundamentally alter the operational calculus for future European combat air systems. The ability to refuel uncrewed assets mid-air will allow loyal wingmen and autonomous combat vehicles to match the range and endurance of their crewed counterparts, removing a significant logistical bottleneck in future air combat planning.
Photo Credit: European Defence Agency
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