With a focus on agile combat employment, information capabilities, and interoperability with partner forces, the Air Force Special Operations Command completed the 16th annual Emerald Warrior exercise. It provided thorough pre-deployment training and integrated live, virtual, and constructive assets across multiple locations.Â
The 16th annual Emerald Warrior exercise by the Air Force Special Operations Command concluded, providing comprehensive pre-deployment training for Special Operations Forces, conventional force enablers, partner forces, and interagency elements. The exercise integrated live, virtual, and constructive training assets across multiple geographic locations, including Hurlburt Field, Homestead Air Force Base, and Puerto Rico. Lessons from previous iterations and real-world operations were applied to train and prepare AFSOF with sister service and partner forces, focusing on the security priorities outlined in the 2022 National Defense Strategy. Emerald Warrior 23 featured the use of Special Operations Task Groups and Special Operations Task Units, enabling real-time decision-making on the ground. The exercise also emphasized agile combat employment movements in complex environments, showcasing AFSOC’s rapid ACE capability. Information Related Capabilities (IRCs), such as cyber, space, intelligence, and public affairs, were synchronized to educate commanders on their strategic advantages and operational effects. France, Germany, and Lithuania participated as partner forces in the exercise, promoting interoperability and strengthening collective capabilities.Â
