France, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and the US are participating in a Chilean Air Force-led coalition exercise, SALITRE, focusing on peacekeeping operations.
During the live exercise, aircraft from all participating nations will simulate a range of operations in a realistic peacekeeping, non-combatant evacuation and humanitarian response scenario.
The US airmen have integrated themselves into a Chilean combined air operations centre (CAOC) for SALITRE.
Participants will also exercise command and control of a simulated air campaign involving fictional scenarios within the Chilean CAOC.
Scenarios within SALITRE will have broad application across many spectrums of conflict or civil support, including support of UN-type responses.
SALITRE CAOC director Col. Patricio Topali said that their expectation is to gain more knowledge of the process, not just planning.
"In this case, when you learn the processes for the French, Argentinean, Brazilian, and US Air Forces, you can achieve the required levels of proficiency for future coalition efforts," he said.
Live exercises began on 23 October 2009.
