AFI 10-204

scope:

This instruction provides guidance and procedures for the planning, execution and assessment of the United States Air Force (USAF) exercise program. Exercises validate USAF aviation, space, cyber, tactical and operational command and control, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) forces' ability to execute presidentially ordered CCDR Unified Command Plan (UCP) missions. As directed by the CSAF's OTI Flight Plan, exercises prepare USAF forces for deployments and combat operations when allocated by the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) as approved in the Secretary of Defense Orders Book (SDOB) and ordered in the Global Force Management Allocation Plan (GFMAP). Exercises are a critical component of readiness training and assessment. Exercises are culminating events used to stress and evaluate AF forces to ensure they are ready to perform designated core tactical and operational level of war functions. Furthermore, exercises help USAF commanders evaluate the readiness of their units.