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The 721st Mobility Support Squadron executed EXERCISE AGILE SWARM at Ramstein Air Base, on Nov. 5, 2025, testing their ability to relocate and reestablish critical en route support operations in response to area threats that compromise their primary operating location.
The 721st MSS delivers comprehensive and enduring en route support for strategic air mobility aircraft and operations through superior command and control, communications, intelligence, tactics, aeromedical evacuation, and en route aircraft security. Even short delays in operations can have a significant impact on strategic mission timelines.
“We deal with a lot of aeromedical evacuations, theater ballistic defense systems, and Presidential support; anything headed eastbound for EUCOM, AFRICOM, or CENTCOM almost exclusively comes through Ramstein to get into theater,” said Tech. Sgt. Elbert Foreman, 721st MSS NCOIC of console operations.
Due to the variety of support functions that the 721st MSS provides, relocating operations quickly is a significant undertaking. The MSS also relocates critical communication equipment and sensitive aircrew equipment, such as their weapons and COMSEC. These items have specific storage and transportation requirements, which can involve additional coordination with other host base units.
While physically relocating the Air Mobility Control Center, the 721st MSS needed to ensure that all of their members were safe and accounted for all while testing the unit’s ability to operate their Air Mobility Team equipment, which can be utilized as a tertiary AMCC.
“We were able to get 100 percent accountability and relocate operations faster than we ever have in the past three SWARM series exercises,” said Lt. Col. Bradley Breedlove, 721st MSS director of operations.
In addition to improving their time to complete accountability, the 721st MSS was able to showcase current capabilities while also highlighting areas for improvement in their ability to react to threats without impacting mission execution.
“Overall, we met the mark,” said Breedlove. “Our teams made good decisions, got away from the threat, and were able to get command and control up and running while posturing for aircrew and aeromedical evacuation support. There’s always room for improvement, but it was a very successful exercise.”
With plans to continue iterations of the event and integrate into the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing-level Nodal Lightning Exercise series, Agile Swarm represents a persistent commitment to readiness within the 721st MSS, guaranteeing mission execution even in contested environments.
