Air Force and Army showcase rapid-deployment joint capability in Exercise Turbo Distribution

The 821st Contingency Response Squadron from Travis Air Force Base, California, has completed its Joint Task Force–Port Opening validation assessment during Exercise Turbo Distribution 26-2 at Camp Shelby, held May 21–27. The event paired the squadron’s rapid airfield assessment and stand-up expertise with U.S. Army inland cargo and port-handling capabilities to stress-test a fast, joint response after a simulated typhoon.

The scenario focused on moving forces and materiel quickly in austere and contested settings, underscoring how Air Force and Army teams would synchronize airfield opening and overland logistics when access is degraded.

Operational security for the exercise was led by U.S. Air Force Capt. Alec Zimmerman, commander of the 821st CRS Defense Force, who oversaw responses to potential chemical incidents and civil unrest, and, for the first time in the exercise’s history, integrated organic small unmanned aircraft systems incursions and counter-sUAS measures.

“In today’s contested environments, the threat to air bases is truly multi-domain,” Zimmerman said. “We aren’t solely securing the perimeter against ground actors anymore; we are actively monitoring and defending the airspace.”

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, small unmanned aircraft systems weigh less than 55 pounds and pose a continuing, evolving threat to the security and mission of military installations and Air Force personnel.

“It enabled us to actively detect, track, and mitigate aerial threats before they could disrupt JTF-PO airfield operations,” Zimmerman said. “I am incredibly proud of how this team leveraged new capabilities to successfully thwart a multitude of ground and air [simulated] threats, preparing our team to execute real-world operations.”

More than 30 Air Force and Army career fields were represented, working through the simulated storm’s effects as well as nearly 10 inches of rainfall at Camp Shelby during the week.

“Exercises like Turbo Distribution are absolutely critical because they build the readiness of our joint forces to rapidly deploy and establish initial distribution networks,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jennifer Prouty, 621st Contingency Response Wing deputy director of staff and JTF-PO commander for the exercise. “This rigorous training ensures that our teams are ready, agile and prepared to deliver a rapid response during any global crisis. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with our Army counterparts allows us to leverage a robust network of joint skills, ensuring Soldiers and Airmen are united to achieve our shared objectives in both austere and contested environments.”

Turbo Distribution is a recurring U.S. Transportation Command field training exercise designed to prepare joint forces to open a seaport and move arriving materiel from the port of debarkation to a forward node or the end user.