Agile Combat Employment validated during AGILE WARRIOR 25

Agile Combat Employment validated during AGILE WARRIOR 25

December 18, 2025 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 2:15

Captain Sophie Quemeneur, 2 Wing Public Affairs Officer

In November, 2 Wing Bagotville conducted the field training portion of Exercise AGILE WARRIOR 25, the first formal Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) training event designed to validate the concept of agile operations in Canada.

The exercise was executed under simulated threat conditions to test the rapid deployment of teams and the activation of airfields to support the concurrent relocation of military aircraft across Sept-Îles, Baie-Comeau,and Québec Citycivilian airports. Employing the decentralized control model, the Air Task Force headquarters was located at His Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) Champlain in Saguenay. The training showcased 2 Wing's tactical excellence and reaffirmed the RCAF's commitment to adaptability and resilience in today's increasingly complex security environment.

"Exercise AGILE WARRIOR 25 marks a significant milestone in advancing the Royal Canadian Air Force's ability to operate effectively in dispersed and contested environments," said Lieutenant-GeneralJamie Speiser-Blanchet,Commander of the RCAF. "The training conducted here directly supports our Agile Operational Employment and Agile Combat Employment objectives, while strengthening interoperability with our allies and partners."

Agile Operational Employment (AOE) is the RCAF's overarching strategy to ensure air and space power capabilities remain effective despite disruptions from diverse threats, both hostile and non-hostile.It emphasizes adaptability and resilience across all RCAF communities to maintain operational readiness. Agile Combat Employment (ACE) builds on AOE by focusing on agility, flexibility, and integration with allied forces in high-threat,dynamic environments. Together, AOE provides the foundation for force-widereadiness, while ACE enables designated elements to operate effectively in contested environments.

"The major highlight of AGILE WARRIOR 25 was the successful execution of the force dispersion plan, the deployment of Secret-levelCommand and Control systems at each location, and a complete test of our communication plan, culminating in a CF-18 Hornetand a Challenger aircraft assisting with the testing," stated Lieutenant-Colonel Marc-AndréLa Haye, Commanding Officer of 2 Air Expeditionary Training Squadron (AET).

Adding to the significance, Brigadier-GeneralLucas Teel, Canadian NORAD Region Deputy Commander, met with the deployed teams to share his experience and insight into command and control in volatile environments, logistics under constraint, and force protection in forward locations.

"By conducting AGILE WARRIOR 25, 2 Wing validated its rapid-responseconcepts, ensuring that our personnel, logistics systems, and command structures remain aligned with the realities of modern warfare and NATO standards," explained Colonel Steeve Belley, Commander of 2 Wing.

Given Canada's vast and often unforgiving terrain, the ability to operate in dispersed and decentralized environments is essential for responding to crises, supporting relief efforts, and upholding collective defense. Completion of AGILE WARRIOR 25 by 2 Wing now enables the RCAF to continue to spread that knowledge across all Wings.