The U.S. Air Power Fast Dragon Experimentation Program, led and developed by the U.S. Air Power Strategic Growth Planning and Experimentation, or SDPE, workplace, a part of the U.S. Air Power Analysis Laboratory’s Built-in Capabilities Directorate, in partnership with U.S. Particular Operations Command Europe, or SOCEUR, efficiently accomplished a reside hearth of a Joint Air-to-Floor Standoff Missile-Prolonged Vary, JASSM-ER, long-range cruise missile on a Norwegian vary November 9, 2022. The Fast Dragon Palletized Results System, able to deploying long-range cruise missiles utilizing commonplace airdrop procedures from a cargo plane, was efficiently deployed from an MC-130J Commando II. The operational MC-130J aircrew from the 352nd Particular Operations Wing airdropped a Fast Dragon deployment system containing long-range cruise missiles which have been sequentially launched on a spread over the Norwegian Sea as a part of U.S. European Command authorised, U.S. Particular Operations Command led Operational Collection ATREUS.
“Now, greater than ever we should take a special strategy to accelerating functionality to the warfighter. Fast Dragon is a incredible instance of the velocity at which technologists and warfighters can work — the design, improvement, prototyping and experimentation of latest capabilities can get to the sector on operationally related timelines,” AFRL Commander Maj. Gen. Heather Pringle mentioned.
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“The Fast Dragon Experimentation Program is appropriately named, because it superior quickly from an idea on paper to a reside hearth utilizing a developmental prototype in 24 months. Now lower than three years from this system inception, Fast Dragon is being utilized by SOCEUR within the Arctic Circle. This can be a testomony to the staff’s deal with speedy fielding to fulfill warfighter wants,” Dr. Dean Evans, Fast Dragon program supervisor mentioned.
“AFSOC’s comparative benefit is and at all times has been our human capital. Palletized Results is a incredible instance of what occurs once we empower our Airmen to unravel complicated issues. AFSOC’s biggest worth to the joint drive in addition to allies and companions is once we discover unconventional methods to ship airpower. The long run goes to be completely different than what we have now skilled for the final 20 years, however one factor I’m sure of is AFSOC will probably be prepared for regardless of the future working surroundings brings,”Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, AFSOC commander mentioned.
“Participation from our allies is cornerstone of ATREUS iterations. Poland, Romania, the UK have been common contributors in the latest ATREUS iterations all through 2021 and 2022, however the international effort with our fellow geographic combatant instructions makes a historic demonstration of allied solidarity worldwide,” ATREUS Lead Lt. Col. Lawrence Melnicoff mentioned.
Along with SDPE and SOCEUR, contributors supporting this occasion included U.S. Particular Operations Command (SOCOM) Det 1, Air Power Particular Operations Command (AFSOC), the Naval Floor Warfare Heart-Dahlgren; Lockheed Martin Missiles and Hearth Management, Systima Applied sciences, ASR-Pioneer, and Andøya House Heart. ATREUS started in April 2021 to establish and conduct coaching alternatives on capabilities discovered all through the theater that allow response choices to the U.S. and NATO allies and companions. Earlier ATREUS coaching occasions have centered on the Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, functionality with participation from Romania, the UK, Sweden, and Latvia. That is the seventh iteration of ATREUS within the European theater however the first mixed and joint effort with participation from ally nations of Norway, Poland, Romania, and the UK in addition to United States Air Power Europe-Air Forces Africa, United States Indo-Pacific Command, Air Power Particular Operations Command, U.S. Particular Operations Command Pacific, and U.S. Naval Sea Methods Command.
