Green Flag East takes a new approach at training

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Chris Sullivan
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La --  With U.S. forces pivoting to the Pacific, Air Combat Command's detachment on Barksdale, the 548th Combat Training Squadron, has for the first time, incorporated maritime training into a Green Flag exercise involving the F-16C Fighting Falcons of the 187th Fighter Wing from Montgomery, Ala. from Jan. 9 through 28.

Among other changes in-line with this approach, this Green Flag is the first to have a day of Air Operations in Maritime Surface Warfare, where fighters will be sent out to the Gulf of Mexico and other locations to simulate Air Force integration into the command and control structure of the Navy.

"The Air Force has been supporting the Army a lot, and we're learning how the Army talks," said Maj. Jason Attaway, 548th CTS, Detachment 1 director of operations. "We're now stepping out of our normal roll and trying to turn that around for support of the Navy."

Effective communication is invaluable as the 548th CTS is actually split into two units, one stationed here, and one which works with the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Polk, La. This calls for a lot of coordination between the two and more realistically simulates deployed operations.

"Our parent unit on Fort Polk handles the ground forces, and we deal with the aviation units up here," said Attaway. "This simulates what it's like in deployed operations where no one is in the same location, but information has to flow back and forth to make it happen"

Although communication nuances remain the same, the nature of war has changed, and with the pivot to the Pacific, threats have morphed as well. This has altered the mindset needed for American forces to operate in the future. With so much at stake, the training provided during exercises like Green Flag accounts for these shifts in mentality.

"The big push is contested operations, degraded operations and operational limitations," said Attaway. "We've been owning the airspace for the last decade, and now we need to prepare how we're going to fight our way in or support ground troops with surface to air and air to air threats in the area."

Training against new threats is just one way in which 548th CTS provides units like the 187th FW tough, realistic training in a contested environment.

"Basically Green Flag East allows our pilots to train in a simulated, high-threat environment and affords our maintenance and support personnel an increased tempo in generating fully mission capable combat aircraft," said Chief Master Sgt. Bryan E. Priest, 187th FW maintenance and support chief.

This environment is instrumental for the men and women of the Alabama guard unit, who are working day and night to put F-16's in the air. Sortie after sortie, not only proves the proficiency of the 187th FW, but gives top-down training for every person on the team.

"We're actually dropping bombs, shooting bullets and interacting with ground forces," said Priest. "In supporting the pilots, that's training in itself...and not just for maintenance but support personnel as well. We've got [Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants Flight] drivers supplying the fuel, logistics folks ordering parts and more. It takes everyone to make all this work."

Whether on land, water or in the air, this type of training is vital to preparing a unit to deploy. There are some facets of training that cannot be duplicated at home station.

"By spending a couple weeks out here, units can work out the kinks," said Attaway. "This time allows units to go somewhere else, see how fast they can turn jets, how quickly they can get bombs on target, and ultimately make sure they have what they need before going down-range."

The mobilization piece alone has given the 187th FW perspective. Getting more than 140 Airmen, a contingent of F-16C Fighting Falcons, and the equipment needed to support both man and machine was a feasible but daunting task.

"Even though we're just a few hours from home, there was a lot behind the scenes logistically because everything is in play," said Priest. "Getting all the equipment and personnel here is huge, and all that works into training we need and require."

So far, the Alabama-based unit has no complaints. From billeting and work environment, to the training received, the Airmen of the 187th FW are exactly where they want to be.

"This is big for us," said Priest. "We want good training...and lots of it!"