US Air Force boosts readiness with regional training sites

The USAF is planning to open fully equipped, multi-functional training sites that will be within close proximity to most civil engineering, force support and security forces, the service announced on 6 February.

The Regional Training Site (RTS) initiative is conducted by the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Centre (AFIMSC)

The this initiative aims to provide flexibility to conduct training at a location within 400 miles (643km) of a force's installation, helping maintain readiness and ensure that aviators are prepared to deploy.

The sites will offer resources, infrastructure and equipment needed to enable unit-led expeditionary training, provide a scalable training platform and enable multi-functional training, the USAF said. 

Representatives from the AFIMSC, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, the Air Force Security Forces Center (AFSFC) and Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Readiness Division determined 14 locations for the regional training sites.

The list includes expanding capability at current training facilities to serve more communities and establish new multi-functional sites.

Surveys will be conducted over the next several months to identify requirements for expanding each site’s operational capabilities.

The training areas must allow for the full range of military operations, which include shooting, moving and communicating in both mounted and dismounted patrol environments, full distance live-fire ranges, operational environments supporting urban combat and convoy operations, air operations with small UAS and other elements.

‘The RTS initiative provides the opportunity to build the critical training infrastructure to develop and sustain critical skills ranging from leadership advancements to proper employment of equipment and technologies within a team construct,’ Col John Grimm, director of operations, training and intelligence for AFSFC noted in a statement.

‘These vital warfighting skills are necessary to support combat operations that are key to meeting our national security strategy.’

AFIMSC is planning two proof-of-concept exercises for the RTS initiative this summer with a goal of operationalising at least one site to fully support cross-functional expeditionary training by FY2024.