DAEGU AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Airmen from the 11th Air Task Force explored new ways to integrate and practice interoperability with other Air Force units and Republic of Korea air force partners at Daegu Air Base, Republic of Korea, during exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 25.
The annual combined joint all-domain military exercise is one of the largest training exercises between the U.S. and Republic of Korea, testing the alliance with complex challenges and reinforcing the strength and readiness of the U.S.-ROK alliance in the face of evolving regional security threats.
This year’s iteration of the exercise, known as UFS25, integrated live and constructive simulations across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains from Aug. 18-28, 2025. It incorporated noncombatant evacuation operations, receiving, staging, onward movement and integration procedures.
For the 11 ATF, this meant providing command and control and base operating support integration for mission force generation elements, specifically the 51st Fighter Wing and the 36th Fighter Squadron’s F-16 Fighting Falcon. This was the second time that the two units worked together, following March’s exercise Freedom Shield at Suwon Air Base.
This time, the 36th Fighter Squadron and their ROKAF partners flew sorties across the peninsula and also tested the ability to uproot and reestablish operations in new locations, including Daegu.
U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cassidy, 11 ATF commander, said that UFS25 gave his Airmen and the Airmen of the 51st Fighter Wing the chance to practice Agile Combat Employment principles in real time.
“The partnership that we’ve had with the 51st Fighter Wing has been a huge part of getting after the mission on the ground here,” he said. “ACE operations are all about the agility with which we move, and the 51st Fighter Wing was able to push assets down here very quickly to get after operational requirements. That was a key part of this entire exercise.”
The 11 ATF also worked with the 8th Materiel Maintenance Squadron, which oversees Daegu Air Base. Usually, the 8th MMS provides support to units arriving to participate in exercises, such as the support it provided to the 11 ATF during Freedom Shield. However, this exercise was different because the 11 ATF took command of the air base and oversaw its facilities while the 8th MMS was folded into its operations. Airmen from the 11 ATF operated services such as the dining facility and on-base post office, while Airmen from both units worked side-by-side to support the 51st FW and generate that crucial combat airpower throughout the exercise scenario.
“We felt like part of the team, assisting not only in the exercise scenario but also in real-world action,” said U.S. Lt. Col. Meyliana Tongko, 8th MMS commander. “We were able to open up a lot of doors for further collaboration and refine what it looked like for three organizations—the 8th MMS, 11 ATF and ROKAF—to work together on one mission: the defense of Korea.”
Cassidy said he was extremely pleased with how the Airmen of the 11 ATF and its supporting unit, the 11th Combat Air Base Squadron, performed during the challenging exercise, especially with how they integrated with other partners.
“Ulchi Freedom Shield was all about demonstrating lethality to our adversaries, and it’s not just about U.S. lethality,” Cassidy said. “What makes us so lethal in a contested environment is our ability to integrate with allies and partners. Our allied and partner relationships are the linchpin to our capabilities against any adversary.”