REFORPAC 2025 comes to a close
After four weeks of nonstop flying, fueling, loading and launching, Misawa Air Base’s 35th Fighter Wing is wrapping up exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025, marking a milestone month of Agile Combat Employment, joint integration and combat readiness across the Indo-Pacific.
REFORPAC, the U.S. Air Force’s largest contingency-response exercise in the Pacific, involved more than 12,000 service members and 400 aircraft across 50 locations spanning 3,000 miles.
“This exercise pushed our Airmen to operate under pressure, think fast and adapt in real time,” said Col. Paul Davidson, 35th FW commander. “Misawa isn’t just a base, it’s a launchpad of joint and allied airpower. REFORPAC proved our readiness to not only assemble and project combat airpower when and where needed, but also to sustain that projection from multiple points throughout Japan.”
At the start of the exercise, hundreds of temporary duty augmentees arrived at Misawa and quickly completed briefings on local procedures and contingency protocols, ensuring smooth integration into ongoing operations.
From dispersed sites, F-16 Fighting Falcons took to the sky as Misawa AB personnel launched and recovered jets with precision, executing rapid-response missions under simulated threat conditions and maintaining a relentless tempo.
Behind the scenes, logistics and fueling teams orchestrated a nonstop flow of supplies and ammunition, moving pallets and equipment with clockwork efficiency. Traffic management and transient alert crews directed the movement of cargo on and off the flightline, turning aircraft around at lightning speed.
“Every team leaned in and kept the pace,” Davidson said. “Our Airmen stepped up alongside our Japanese partners with total focus on the mission. That level of commitment is what drives real operational strength.”
Driven by that focus, Airmen and mission partners sustained operations with discipline, speed and precision. Petroleum, oils and lubricants specialists from both the U.S. Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force worked shoulder-to-shoulder, fueling jets in high-speed operations that kept aircraft fueled and ready for immediate action.
Nearby, aeromedical crews ran through intense trauma drills with their Japanese counterparts, treating simulated wounds and evacuating patients in rapid succession, honing the lifesaving skills vital when every second counts.
Simultaneously, Airmen teamed up with JASDF engineers to swiftly patch damaged runways under simulated attack, restoring airfield operations and ensuring the mission never missed a beat.
This relentless pace of coordinated action and sharp adaptability showcased the 35th FW’s adaptability to generate combat airpower anywhere and anytime.
“Training together builds the trust and teamwork we need to succeed,” Davidson said. “Working side by side with our Japanese partners helps us respond faster and smarter across an array of mission sets and makes us stronger as a team and region.”
As REFORPAC winds down, the 35th FW pivots to steady operations, harnessing the momentum forged during the exercise. Even as visiting exercise participants return home, the wing mission continues onward with training, accelerating readiness and strengthening regional partnerships, driving forward its mission to safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
