Kentucky ANG fliers support Spartan paratroopers

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Wes Wright
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  A C-130 Hercules flying through hostile airspace banked in the afternoon sky, approaching an enemy airfield that had to be taken. Inside, above the steady hum of four turboprop engines, a loadmaster signaled with his hand and shouted, "One minute to drop!" He began counting down, "60, 59, 58, 57..."

An Army jumpmaster echoed the loadmaster's words to 64 airborne Soldiers as he scanned the drop zone, working with the aircraft navigator to gauge optimal conditions to deploy his Soldiers into battle. The Soldiers checked their rigging and gear for the hundredth time in anticipation of parachuting into the war zone.

"Three, two, one, GREEN LIGHT!"

One-by-one, the Soldiers exited through doors on either side of the aircraft.

This was just one of many scenarios that played out in Red Flag-Alaska 14-1, May 8 to 23. Red Flag is a joint/coalition, tactical air combat employment exercise. Aircrews were subjected to every conceivable combat threat, and scenarios were shaped to meet each exercise's specific training objectives. At the height of the exercise, up to 70 aircraft could be operating in the same airspace at one time.

While shuttling Soldiers and supplies to the fight is nothing new for the joint force, one unique aspect of this scenario is that the C-130 carrying the Alaska Soldiers is one of several aircraft participating from the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123d Airlift Wing.
Tech. Sgt. Chris Hodge, 165th Airlift Squadron C-130 loadmaster, worked directly with Soldiers from the United States Army Alaska's 82nd Airborne Division.

"Soldiers get used to going up and doing their drops fairly quickly," Hodge said. "But during Red Flag, they have to fly around with us for three or four hours before they can do their drops. We fly a lot of terrain masking that requires some tight maneuvering and you're pulling a lot of G-forces. But even when they get sick, they've done really well. They're great guys to work with."

Terrain masking is a technique heavy aircraft use to avoid radar detection and conflict. It's a tactic the KYANG has the unique opportunity to practice here in Alaska.

"It's challenging place to fly," said Air National Guard Lt. Col. Matt Stone, 123d Mission Support Group commander. "The C-130 doesn't have guns. The sheer size of the mountains makes it a unique challenge but a great training opportunity."

According to Kentucky Airmen, flying in denied airspace is something many of the aircrew rarely experience.

"One thing we're good at is support of counterinsurgency, because we've been in Afghanistan for 13 years," said Air National Guard Capt. James Ketterer, 165th Airlift Wing C-130 pilot. "What we've got a lot to learn about is flying in denied airspace. We've owned the airspace in Afghanistan for 13 years. We owned the airspace in Iraq in less than two weeks. We need to hone our skills going up against enemy fighters to make sure we can use that capability if it's required."

Prior to Operation Desert Storm, less than one-fifth of the U.S. Air Force's primary fighter pilots had seen actual combat. While the percentage of combat-experienced pilots has increased in recent years, at the time, a high percentage of pilots had no combat experience. Analysis indicated most combat losses occurred during an aircrew's first eight to 10 missions. Therefore, the goal of Red Flag Alaska is to provide each aircrew with these first vital missions, increasing their chances of survival in combat
environments.

According to Ketterer, the training is invaluable.

"We can practice this stuff at home all day long, but until there are enemy aggressors in the air and a range like they have here, it's difficult to train to this level," the 14-year veteran pilot said. "That's why this is the premier training event in the
world."

Stone pointed to the unit's seamless integration and training with Army airborne operations as critical to winning the fight.

"You win part of the war in the air with the fighters, tankers, etc," the colonel said. "But the Army will tell you that you don't really win the war until you're on the ground and that's true. The Air Force will fight and gain air superiority. But the reason we even have and want air superiority is so that the ground troops can then take the land."
Ketterer echoed the commander's words.

"We have developed and matured our relationship with the Army," Ketterer said. "That's why it's important to integrate with them with this type of training. We've seen more and more Army participation with Red Flag and that's huge because ultimately what's our purpose if not to support the guys on the ground?"

Stone said he's happy the aircrews are encountering challenges in the "war" because learning how to overcome is how they will survive in real combat.

"It's been a steep learning curve for everybody here," Stone said. "Everyone is getting smarter everyday about staying alive and that's the focus."

According to Hodge, one part of the steep learning curve for the enlisted aircrew has been the pace of the war.

"One thing that's definitely unique about Red Flag is the tempo of operations," Hodge said. "It's higher than back at home. Here it's show up, get out there, get it done. It's especially valuable for the junior enlisted. They haven't been to a combat
environment."

Aircrews aren't the only ones who benefit from the Red Flag-Alaska experience. Exercises provide an operations training environment for participants such as unit-level intelligence experts, maintenance crews and command and control elements.

"We brought a huge support element," Stone said. "We brought maintainers, security forces, dining facility personnel, intelligence guys and the whole package. Those individuals are getting invaluable experience as well."

"This is some of the best training in the world and some of the best flying I've ever seen," Ketterer concluded. "We will definitely be more prepared to accomplish our mission when we leave here."