U.S. Air Force and U.K. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) work together in exercise

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) trained side by side at Moody Air Force Base, strengthening interoperability through bilateral close air support training.

The recurring training brings RAF JTACs to Moody to work alongside Airmen from the 74th, 75th and 76th Fighter Squadrons, providing opportunities to exchange tactics, strengthen professional relationships and ensure both nations are prepared to operate together in future contingencies.

“This is a great opportunity for us to train with foreign aircraft and foreign pilots while working with different tactics and building our knowledge of close air support,” said Warrant Officer Class 2 Chris Fletcher, 4th Regiment Royal Artillery formation senior JTAC. “Every time we come, we learn something new.”

The Royal Air Force has conducted training at Moody since 2015, returning twice each year to maintain qualifications and expose both experienced and newly qualified JTACs to a variety of aircraft and operational environments. Fletcher said this year’s training also focused on developing junior JTACs as they gain experience directing aircraft in realistic scenarios.

“Every exercise is different,” said Maj. Nivruth Maramreddy, 23d Fighter Group chief of standardization and evaluation. “There’s always different things we’re testing, different tactics we’re exploring and different members of the team.”

For JTACs and pilots, standardized communication is essential to safely execute close air support missions. “We all strive to speak the same common language,” Maramreddy said. “In the moment, when you’re about to release ordnance in close proximity to friendly forces, you don’t have the ability to ask someone on the radio, ‘Can you clarify what you meant by that?’”

Moody’s nearby training ranges allow aircrews and JTACs to brief together before missions and conduct face-to-face debriefs afterward.

“The debrief is where most of the learning happens,” Maramreddy said. “Being able to brief together, execute the mission and then come back together to debrief in person speaks volumes to the growth of the entire close air support team.”

Beyond tactical proficiency, both leaders emphasized that repeated training strengthens the long-standing partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom.

“We love coming out here,” Fletcher said. “We love working with the squadrons, working with the pilots and learning what they know and making ourselves better.”

By continuing to train together, U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force JTACs build trust, shared understanding and interoperability needed to operate effectively whenever and wherever allied forces are called upon.