JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- U.S. Air Force Crash, Damaged and Disabled Aircraft Recovery Airmen assigned to the 3rd Maintenance Squadron conducted a simulated crash-and-recovery exercise at Camp Madbull on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 8 and Aug. 11 to 12, 2025.
The CDDAR program’s mission is to rapidly recover crashed, damaged or disabled aircraft. In addition to maintaining open runways for operational use, their work prevents secondary damage to the aircraft and preserves evidence for mishap or accident safety investigation.
"There are a lot of fighters and transient aircraft that come through here, and any time they have an in-flight emergency, we have to be there to respond,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Troy Dodson, assistant section chief of the CDDAR. “If for any reason a jet misses the runway or has a mishap, we have to be out there and be proficient in what we do to get the aircraft off the runway, reopen the runway as fast as possible, and get the aircraft somewhere else so maintenance can come in and repair it."
This exercise took three days of preparation, execution and debriefing, which was done in three phases.
For phase one, the team focused on the initial set-up and inspection of all equipment being used in the exercise. Team leads surveyed the site and ensured there were clear access paths for participants. Airmen learned the mission objectives, emergency objectives and about the precise communication plan.
Phase two began the following Monday, focused on execution. Airmen gathered early in the morning to showcase their skills and contribute to the mission with a jet-crash simulation. They began with a safety briefing and looked over the equipment once more.
When notified of the mock jet crash, Airmen walked around the aircraft and looked for any new or overlooked hazards. The teams inspected the damage to the jet and any possible structural weak points, then used three airbags to lift the aircraft off of the ground. To conclude phase two, the maintainers simulated repairing damages done to the jet.
Finally, for phase three, the team met the following day to do a debrief of improvements, an open discussion and recommendations for future exercises or real-world scenarios.
“The exercise was important because when the time comes, we are ready to execute the lift efficiently,” said Airman 1st Class Sammy Fontenot, a maintainer assigned to the CDDAR team. “I became more confident in what I was doing and learned teamwork is crucial. This exercise helped me review different aspects of the lifts and learn from the others around me.”
The CDDAR team plans to continue these exercises throughout the year to build their readiness and continue to contribute to the mission.