Which exercise represented the final phase of the air warfare instructor course?

• A. Pitch Black 2018
• B. Rim-of-the-Pacific
• C. Autocratic
• D. Diamond Storm 2019

Answer: (D)

The final phase of the air warfare instructor course is a capstone-level, high-fidelity exercise that tests a student’s ability to plan, lead, teach, and assess air warfare operations in a realistic, integrated environment. Diamond Storm 2019 was that culmination, giving instructors-in-training a complex scenario where they must design briefings, run training events, supervise execution, and conduct debriefs, demonstrating mastery of instructional duties and air warfare principles under pressure. The other options are major real-world exercises not specifically tied to the course’s graduation requirements, so they don’t serve as the capstone for this program. Diamond Storm 2019 uniquely fits the role of the final evaluative exercise for the course.