Features

Air Force assists Army during Saber Junction 18

September 27, 2018
by Staff Sgt. Jimmie Pike
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
U.S. Army paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade sit and wait to board a U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft assigned to the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, during Saber Junction 18, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 19, 2018. Saber Junction 18 is the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade’s combat training center certification exercise, taking place on the Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas. The U.S. Army Europe-directed exercise is designed to assess the readiness of the brigade to conduct unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and to promote interoperability with participating allies and partner nations. Saber Junction 18 includes nearly 5,500 participants from 20 ally and partner nations. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Patrick Evenson)

U.S. Air Force aircraft engines roar through the air as pilots look for the marked drop zone; in the back of the aircraft U.S. Army paratroopers, along with paratroopers from four other nations, eagerly await for their signal to appear above the cargo door.

“GO! GO! GO,” a jumpmaster screams as the jump light changes from red to green.

This may only be training, but the performances of each military branch and service member is integral to the success of the missions during Saber Junction 18.

Sky Soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade jumped into Hohenfels, Germany to begin the certification phase of Saber Junction 18. Exercise Saber Junction 18 is a U.S. Army Europe-directed exercise designed to assess the readiness of the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and to promote interoperability with participating allies and partner nations.

Saber Junction 18 is part of an annual exercise series, and is a U.S. Army in Europe-directed exercise designed to assess the readiness of the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and to promote interoperability with participating allies and partner nations.

While USAREUR led the charge during the exercise, U.S. Air Forces in Europe provided the airlift capability with C-130H Hercules and a C-17 Globemaster to assist the Army in completing their training objectives.

“The Air Force has been a huge help,” said U.S. Army Maj. J. Christopher Giorgi, Saber Junction 18 lead planner. “You can’t do joint force entry without the airlift component.”

With aircraft support from USAFE, thousands of troops from the 173rd dropped within a few hours to kick off a large scale exercise.

“Airmen have been integrated since day one of planning to assist,” said Giorgi. “With this integration, we can put an air brigade behind enemy lines within 18 hours. I don’t believe many others can do that.”

The U.S. will be exercising alongside 19 ally and partner nations to increase operational efficiency.

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