Barksdale hosts international training; ensure pilots deployment ready

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexandra M. Longfellow
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Barksdale hosted the Royal Netherlands Air Force for the first time during Green Flag East Nov. 1 through 18.

Green Flag East is Air Combat Command's premier close-air-support exercise. All fighter squadrons and Air Support Operations Squadrons scheduled to deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility are expected to complete a Green Flag exercise as part of their spin-up training.

"Green Flag East brings together all the pieces to exercise coordination through the fog and friction of integrating with a real Army Brigade to provide close-air-support in a realistic combat environment," said Lt. Col. Pat McKeever, 548th Combat Training Squadron commander.

The RNAF flew approximately 20 flights a day using only 12 F-16's. Each sortie lasted an hour and a half and more than 120 people took part in the exercise.

Although the U.S. Military got the opportunity to work with their coalition partners--the exercise gave young pilots an opportunity to see first-hand what it may be like for them down-range.

1st Lt. Edwin, a member of the 323th Squadron from Leeuwarden Air Base, has been a pilot for more than six years but has never deployed. He says Green Flag was a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience.

"Working with the U.S. ground support in the air is a great exercise for us," said Lieutenant Edwin. "It is good simulation for enemy hot spots and very realistic, more so here than in Holland."

Part of the training included sorties flown to Fort Polk, La. to give the pilots a close-up and personal look at the type of location they may encounter in a deployed environment.

According to Colonel McKeever, Fort Polk provided a training environment that they cannot replicate with their home station.

"The Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk looks like the real deal," he said. "The range includes multiple small villages with Hollywood facades on the buildings populated with in-character role players who go about normal pattern of life found in a small Afghan village."

Maj. Niels Haarsma, 313th Squadron, RNAF director of operations, agrees with Colonel McKeever on the benefits of the exercise. He says Green Flag East covers all types of training the pilots need.

"This exercise reemphasizes training learned back at home," he said. "Night flying is a huge obstacle we overcame here. We need to be prepared here for it will happen when we are deployed to Afghanistan."

Green Flag East gave both the Dutch and U.S. Air Forces the opportunity to improve their war-fighting capabilities.

The pilots learned to provide timely and effective close-air-support to coalition forces on the ground. Training like this will help ensure future combat sorties are executed flawlessly.