Exercise Sourdough turns a bustling U.S. city into an urban evasion playground, challenging both military and civil agencies.
Story Highlights
- Exercise Sourdough is the largest urban evasion exercise in the Department of Defense.
- Airmen and law enforcement engage in realistic capture and rescue scenarios in San Francisco.
- The exercise enhances interagency cooperation and military readiness.
- Over 150 participants from more than 17 agencies participated in the 2025 event.
- Sourdough has been a staple in urban training for over a decade.
Transforming San Francisco into a Training Ground
From December 8-11, 2025, Exercise Sourdough saw the transformation of San Francisco into a dynamic evasion and capture scenario. Eleven teams of Airmen were deployed across the city’s vast urban landscape to evade capture over 49 square miles. This complex operation involved the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, SWAT teams, and the U.S. Coast Guard, showcasing the exercise’s scale and the unique urban environment it leverages.
Key to this exercise is the collaboration between military and civilian agencies. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office played a critical role by acting as the opposing force, illustrating the importance of civil-military cooperation. The Airmen, dressed in civilian clothing and armed with only limited resources, were tasked with evading capture, enduring interrogations, and ultimately being “rescued” in a SWAT-led operation. This not only tests their survival and evasion skills but also their ability to resist exploitation and facilitate their own recovery.
Enhancing Readiness and Interoperability
The success of Exercise Sourdough lies in its ability to provide realistic and high-pressure scenarios that enhance readiness. Airmen improved their survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) skills crucial for operations in contested urban environments. The exercise’s realistic capture and rescue scenarios also offered invaluable training to local law enforcement, enhancing their tactical response capabilities in urban settings.
Moreover, this exercise underscores the importance of interoperability. By involving over 17 agencies, including the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and various SWAT teams, it ensures that military and civilian agencies can effectively communicate and operate together during emergencies. This collaboration not only benefits military readiness but also strengthens local law enforcement’s ability to respond to real-world situations.
A Model for Future Training
Exercise Sourdough has established itself as a model for urban readiness training. With over a decade of successful iterations, it continues to provide a benchmark for similar exercises. The ongoing partnership between Travis Air Force Base and Bay Area public safety agencies fosters a trusted relationship, essential for any future joint operations or real-life emergencies.
‘Exercise Sourdough’ — how the Air Force turned San Francisco into an urban evasion course https://t.co/MBsmci4xY4
— Task & Purpose (@TaskandPurpose) January 8, 2026
As the largest urban evasion exercise, Sourdough highlights the necessity of preparing for complex, contested environments. The lessons learned and the strengthened partnerships it fosters are invaluable contributions to national security and public safety. The continued evolution of this exercise will likely inspire similar events, broadening the scope of urban training and readiness across the nation.
Sources:
Exercise Sourdough Strengthens Readiness Through Joint Urban Evasion Training
Task and Purpose on Exercise Sourdough
Exercise Details from Travis AFB
DVIDS Image of Exercise Sourdough
