YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Yokota medics were put to the test July 18-19, to practice aeromedical evacuation and massive casualty response in cooperation with the U.K., Canada, New Zealand, and Japan in support of Mobility Guardian 2023 operations and an internal readiness exercise at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
MG23 is a mobility exercise held across a 3,000-mile area, which is designed to deepen operational understanding between the U.S. and its allies and partners while bolstering their collective ability to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This year’s iteration is the largest in Air Mobility Command history with seven nations and more than 70 mobility aircraft participating, enabling the movement of more than 15,000 Joint forces associated with other exercise also in theater. The simulated response tested the interoperability between these allied nations and their respective first responders, who will need to work together seamlessly in the event of contested, degraded, or operationally limited environments.
On the first day of the exercise, Yokota medical teams received simulated patients from an RAF Voyager aircraft, the RAF’s sole air-to-air refueling tanker that doubles as a strategic air transport. The aircraft hosts a versatile aeromedical configuration, including the ability to carry up to 40 stretchers and three critical care patients, according to the British Ministry of Defence.
“The premise of the exercise is aeromedical evacuation training,” said Wing Commander Phillip Foster from the RAF detachment for MG23. “We’re enabling our aeromedical teams to familiarize themselves with each other's equipment and train in the air above Japan.”
On day two, the teams practiced receiving hordes of simulated medical casualties from Yokota’s own aircraft, the C-130J Super Hercules and UH-1N Huey and responded to a fire disaster scenario.
“We are ready for anything,” said Col. Ann McManis, 374th Medical Group deputy commander. “This exercise greatly tested our ability to receive a large number of casualties from allied forces and their respective aircraft, but our trained medical professionals are a mighty force. They expertly navigated a surge of complex clinical situations by coordinating with aircrew and quickly meeting the patient demand.”
The Yokota, AMC, and RAF teams worked side-by-side in efforts to foster an ever-growing network of military medical personnel, poised to operate and integrate in any contingency, enhancing aerospace medical interoperability.