The U.S. Air Force released details of this year large-scale airdrop and land mobility exercise, called the Joint Forcible Entry.

The Joint Forcible Entry (JFE) exercise is an annual large-scale airdrop and land mobility mission that simulates a contested battlefield scenario as a way of training units for the dangerous airdrop situations that can occur while deployed.

The massive aerial formation consists of more than 99 aircraft, including C-130 Hercules, C-130 J’s, and C-17 Globemasters, from all over the country. The planes meet up in the air at different points, dropping scores of paratroopers and military combat equipment over a drop zone near Nellis. 

“The Joint Forcible Entry is one of the most important capabilities the United States has within its armed forces,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy Reich, the director of operations for the 156th Airlift Squadron of the 145th Airlift Wing. “It’s also one of the most difficult and complicated, [as it] consists of large multi-element formations and airdrop operations, command and control integration, blue force integration, complex threat mitigation, and semi-prepared dirt runway operations.”

As one of the most challenging and complex missions of the year, JFE integrates decisive action while demonstrating crisis response and global mobility.

According to the U.S. Army, JFE exercises train the global response force, and demonstrate their readiness to deploy within hours and fight globally. The objective of this exercise is to integrate Army airborne and land operations, with joint air support, and special operations against an opposing enemy force.