COMBAT ARCHER UK 2026 is ready to launch in the United Kingdom

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – U.S. Air Force Airmen and aircraft are slated to join Royal Air Force forces for Exercise COMBAT ARCHER UK 2026 (CA-UK ‘26), scheduled July 13-24, 2026.

Participating units and assets as a part of COMBAT ARCHER will be F-35A Lightning IIs and F-15E Strike Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing, alongside 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotankers, and 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron.

CA-UK ‘26 is an annual USAFE-AFAFRICA hosted air-to-air, weapons system evaluation exercise that ensures high-end combat readiness in the European theater.

This evaluation is conducted by the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron out of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, in order to certify participating units in end-to-end weapons employment prior to combat deployment. The innovative practice of conducting COMBAT ARCHER abroad brings world-class training and combat preparation to the doorstep of USAFE-AFRICA flying units, yielding upwards of $10 million in cost savings while also keeping US aircraft postured on-continent in the event they are required to rapidly respond to real-world contingencies compared to sending aircrew and aircraft to the standard location at Tyndall AFB.

Exercise CA-UK ‘26 demonstrates USAFE-AFAFRICA’s ability to project combat-ready airpower, maintaining a forward-based, lethal force through realistic training and integrated operations with Allies and partners that is postured to safeguard US interests in Europe and across the globe.

For more information, please call +49 (0) 6371-47-6558 or e-mail usafepao.pao@us.af.mil. If after duty hours, please call +49 (0) 1624-25-5428 or e-mail usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.

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