Air Force Academy conducts large-scale 24-hour combat simulation
The U.S. Air Force Academy held its annual ‘CULEX’ exercise on Thursday, involving nearly 4,000 cadets in a 24-hour simulated war environment. The exercise took place April 15-16 and transformed the academy’s 18,500-acre campus into the fictional Japanese island of Hokkaido under attack.
According to Col. Jennifer Hall, the exercise’s director, the academy dedicated its entire grounds to allow all cadets to participate in the complex scenario. In the simulation, Japan has asked the U.S. military to serve as a defensive force, establishing four joint operating areas with about 800 cadets each. These areas included defending airfields, high-value assets, and downed personnel.
Cadets faced various challenges, including injured officers and enemy invasions by what they called the ‘Red Force.’ One squadron was assigned to act as the Red Force, actively engaging with other cadets and creating obstacles to test decision-making and strategic planning, Hall said.
The exercise featured realistic elements such as tents resembling an austere expeditionary environment, tactical operations centers, medical facilities, and overnight accommodations for cadets. Participants flew aircraft, deployed parachutes, and defended camps with airsoft guns while communicating via radio traffic. Students also used drones and mapping technology to address operational problems in real time.
Now in its second year, CULEX emphasizes building confidence, teamwork, and leadership rather than pass-or-fail testing. Hall noted that the exercise aims to prepare future Space Force and Air Force officers for multi-domain environments they may encounter in their careers.
Hall highlighted the importance of immersive training, stating, ‘The only way to prepare for the fight that we’re in, or the future fight, is to develop the training necessary where they can experience it real time, in the woods, in the field.’ She added that the upcoming graduation of senior cadets will mark their readiness to lead in complex scenarios.
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