Ready to deploy: 12th Air Task Force achieves final certification

Published Aug. 19, 2025
By 1st Lt. Faith Powers
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --

The 12th Air Task Force achieved its final certification on August 18, 2025, after successfully completing Bamboo Eagle 25-3. This accomplishment not only validates the unit’s readiness for its upcoming U.S. Central Command deployment but is also sets the standard as one of the first Air Task Forces trained for the Air Force's new deployment model.

C-5M Super Galaxy at MCAS Miramar during exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-3 — U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rachel Messer, 115th Logistics Readiness Squadron ground transportation specialist, assists in unloading cargo from a C-5M Super Galaxy during exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-3 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Aug. 3, 2025. Participants are challenged to think critically and creatively, showcasing their ability to adapt and innovate in the face of dynamic operational demands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

Roughly 2,500 Airmen were trained and certified through Bamboo Eagle 25-3. To support the exercise, these Airmen operated from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Mississippi. The unit tackled a complex challenge that simulated the difficulties of operating in a fast-paced and unpredictable environment, where forces are often spread across multiple locations. These tactics, essential to Agile Combat Employment, enabled them to remain operational while facing threats.

A key element of the 12th ATF's success was the Mission Ready Airmen within dedicated Mission Generation Force Elements —the latter being an Air Force construct of weapons systems and their associated support teams.

12th ATF participating in exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-3, on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Aug. 7, 2025 — U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II’s assigned to the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, taxi during exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-3, on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Aug. 7, 2025. The exercise validates the ability to launch, recover, rearm, and refuel aircraft from remote locations, extending the reach and persistence of airpower. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

The 12th ATF specifically demonstrated key capabilities, among many others, in:

Executing an Agile Combat Employment scheme of maneuver in a joint-coalition environment: Rapidly established a forward operating site and generated sorties in a joint and coalition environment.
Executing rapid resupply/cargo operations: Quickly received and sent off cargo aircraft and managed essential resources.
Demonstrating Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems capabilities: Effectively defended base locations from threats, including small, unmanned aircraft systems, by employing a layered defense approach and utilizing surveillance and counter-UAS technologies.
Executing mission command in a disaggregated environment: Maintained operational effectiveness through mission command capabilities, ensuring a shared understanding across dispersed elements.

C-130J Super Hercules cargo operations during exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-3, on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Aug. 5, 2025 — 12th Air Task Force Airmen board a C-130 Super Hercules during exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-3, on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Aug. 5, 2025. The exercise sharpens participants' ability to sustain combat power, adapt to rapidly changing conditions, and maintain operational effectiveness in contested theaters. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

“Bamboo Eagle wasn't just a test – it was an arena where our Mission Ready Airmen demonstrated the agility, resilience, and lethality needed to dominate the fight. Because of this exercise, the 12th ATF isn't just ready to deploy; we're prepared to shape the battlespace and ensure mission success.”

Col. Scott Davis, 12th Air Task Force commander

The completion of Bamboo Eagle 25-3 marks the successful conclusion of their rigorous training and their readiness for deployment. As part of the Air Force's first cycle of Air Task Forces to complete the Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) cycle, the 12 ATF is setting the stage for future Deployable Combat Wings and paving the way to global competition.