JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Airmen from the 446th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, participated in Steel Knight ‘24 at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, San Clemente Island, California in December. Steel Knight 24 was a joint training exercise that included expeditionary basing operations, airfield seizure operations and austere wet-wing defueling.
Two C-17 Globemaster III’s landed at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona on Dec. 6 to conduct mission planning and load equipment for the upcoming simulated mission to San Clemente Island. The 446th AW, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 and other units from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing air-lifted Marines and equipment to preform wet-wing defueling escorted by F-35B fighters with short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities.
Steel Knight was the first wet-wing defueling of a C-17 to the new Tactical Aviation Ground Refueling System. Two C-17s delivered more than 78,000 gallons of jet fuel to the TAGRS, allowing the F-35’s to extend the range and duration of their lethality and force projection.
Once the TAGRS was delivered by C-17 to the airfield, the TAGRS deployed multiple fuel bladder cells parallel to the runway where the fuel was delivered.
The 446th also provided multiple munition carts to the island, suppling the fighters with numerous AIM-120s and GBU-53Bs to resupply the fighters, increasing their lethality.
“Joint exercises with units like VMFA-214 are critical to the continued development of our Airmen’s training because it allows us to see how to best support our joint partners with the C-17,” said Maj. Matthew Walton, C-17 Weapons Officer and 446th Steel Knight lead planner. “The C-17 plays a significant role in the joint maneuver force, especially in the INDOPACOM theater. These opportunities have an operational level impact by building relationships at the tactical level.”
This joint exercise used a simulated environment where all personnel and equipment were airlifted into theater, while securing contested airspace, and providing more than 78,000 gallons of jet fuel to sup-port continued operations.
Overall, the exercise allowed both Airmen and Marines the opportunity to perfect expeditionary basing operations in a contested environment while building interoperability and lethality, said Walton.
“The lessons learned from sharing the airspace with other branches while adding the additional stress of simulated contested airspace allows us the opportunity to identify areas where we can become more lethal and deliver American airpower when and where it’s needed,” said Walton.