Project Carabao Enhances Agile Logistics Capabilities in the Indo-Pacific Published May 7, 2025 By Airman Xavier Romero 36th Wing and 436th Airlift Wing ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) recently concluded Project Carabao, a high-tempo training exercise designed to sharpen expeditionary logistics capabilities and reinforce integrated deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region. Conducted at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and Saipan International Airport, Northern Mariana Islands, April 25 to May 4, 2025, the exercise underscored the agility and resilience of Airmen operating in contested and distributed environments. A joint endeavor between the 36th Wing and the 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Project Carabao validated key expeditionary logistics concepts vital to sustaining airpower projection across the vast Pacific theater. The exercise emphasized the synergistic efforts of PACAF and Air Mobility Command (AMC) to maintain a persistent, flexible, and combat-credible force posture. At the center of the exercise was the C-5M Super Galaxy and a series of realistic, mission-focused scenarios, most notably, wet-wing defueling operations on both Guam and Saipan to simulate forward refueling point (FRP) establishment. These activities directly support ACE and ensure forces can rapidly operate and sustain operations from dispersed, austere locations across the theater. “Project Carabao directly supports PACAF’s objectives of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific by advancing our ability to deploy and sustain combat forces in contested environments,” said Capt. Ricoh Blackmon, Assistant Director of Operations for the 36th Tactical Advisory Squadron. “Mastering agile logistics enables us to respond swiftly to emerging threats, reassure allies and partners, and deter aggression throughout the region.” The exercise brought together pilots, maintainers, loadmasters, and logistics specialists from the 436th Airlift Wing, who partnered with 36th Wing personnel to execute high-impact training and demonstrate joint operational effectiveness. The successful offloading and operation of an R-11 refueler at Saipan International Airport further showcased the capacity to sustain logistics operations across the First Island Chain. A core component of Project Carabao was the employment of the Global Rapid Response Information Package (GRRIP) Kit by Airmen from the 436th Operations Support Squadron, 36th Tactical Advisory Squadron, and 644th Combat Communications Squadron. This capability enabled secure communications over commercial Wi-Fi networks, providing SIPR access in flight and on the ground—a critical enhancement to command and control (C2) in communication-denied or degraded environments. A SITREP was successfully transmitted to the Contingency Response Operations Center (CROC), validating the system’s utility in expeditionary operations. Lessons learned and capabilities demonstrated during Project Carabao will directly inform and enhance readiness for future PACAF and AMC exercises, including Exercise Resolute Forces Pacific and Mobility Guardian 2025. As the Indo-Pacific security environment continues to evolve, Team Andersen remains committed to pioneering adaptive solutions, reinforcing interoperability, and maintaining a credible deterrent posture alongside regional allies and partners. Project Carabao stands as a clear example of PACAF’s commitment to ACE, innovation, and the joint force integration needed to uphold a rules-based international order and preserve peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.