{"id":26254,"date":"2020-08-21T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-21T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/08\/21\/a-vision-for-us-air-force-partnerships-in-the-americas\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:15:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:15:52","slug":"a-vision-for-us-air-force-partnerships-in-the-americas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/commentary\/2020\/08\/21\/a-vision-for-us-air-force-partnerships-in-the-americas\/","title":{"rendered":"A vision for US Air Force partnerships in the Americas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As I conclude my time as the commander of 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), I\u2019d like to share my vision of a possible near-future Air Force mission. Imagine two active-duty U.S. A-10s flying side by side with two Colombian Kfir fighter jets over the skies of Colombia. They aren\u2019t engaged in combat, but rather training and exercising together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These A-10s take off from a Colombian air base and meet with the Kfirs to train together. They refuel at a forward air refueling point at a second base in theater, set up by a waiting C-17. Finally they return to another air base in Colombia to complete their mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An HH-60 sits ready nearby, on call for search and rescue. An AWACS and a KC-46 are overhead, having flown out of Central America to provide support for the exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this vision, the U.S. Air Force leverages our proximity and close partnership with our Latin American neighbors to exercise hub-and-spoke deployment, validating our units\u2019 abilities to operate in dispersed environments. Latin America is the perfect location for U.S.-based units to accomplish needed training while also supporting U.S. interests in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\t