Pacific Thunder highlights striker role

OSAN AIR BASE, SOUTH KOREA

04.25.2014

Story by Tech. Sgt. Thomas Doscher 

7th Air Force

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea - "What happens if you mess up?"

The question seems to take 1st Lt. Cale Lamoreux aback for a moment. After a moment's thought, the 25th Fighter Squadron A-10 pilot and recent Sandy upgrade offers an answer.

"Then perhaps we can't pick up the survivor today," he explains. "We have to pick him up tomorrow. Worst case is that we have more downed survivors. We lose a rescue vehicle or we lose one of the Sandies."

For "Sandies," like those flying in the combat search and rescue exercise Pacific Thunder, the consequences for failure are stark. Their job is to fly into hot zones along with rescue helicopters and suppress or destroy any threats to the rescue crews or survivors, essentially to buy enough time for downed pilots or survivors to be picked up and brought home.

Exercise Pacific Thunder, an annual joint, combined combat search and rescue exercise that took place on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, April 14 - 18, trains pilots to fly this vital mission. The weeklong exercise, replicates scenarios designed to train crews to execute and validate tactics, techniques and procedures, as well as integrate with combined air and command and control assets.

The 25th Fighter Squadron, along with the 35th Fighter Squadron, Marine Attack Squadron 223 and Republic of Korea KF-16, F-15K and KA-1 squadrons, are flying in support of the 33rd Rescue Squadron during the exercise, providing close air support, air interdiction and strike coordination and reconnaissance.

These missions, Lamoreux said, are vital to the success of a CSAR mission.

"We are there to avoid, suppress or kill threats and prevent any threat getting to the rescue vehicles or the survivor," he said. "Every Sandy has a responsibility of finding and killing targets."

Sandies, close air support units who fly in support of CSAR missions, are responsible for keeping rescue crews and survivors safe from ground fire. From the moment a plane goes down until the last survivor steps off the helicopter, Sandies work hand-in-hand with rescue crews to find, protect and escort downed pilots to safety.

Marine Capt. Caleb Zeutschel, VMA 223 Harrier pilot, said the role of strike aircraft in rescue missions cannot be understated. It can mean the difference between success and failure.

"It's extremely vital," he said. "Close air support requires the detailed integration of air and ground forces to be able to accomplish the mission or to be sure the troops on the ground get the support that they need. Specifically in terms of [tactical recovery of aircrew and personnel], being able to get close, being sure you're coordinating with the CSAR and being able to drive the enemy back to make sure they get rescued safely."

Sandies fly in teams, with each Sandy having specific mission responsibilities. Some will use strike assets to divert or destroy nearby threats while others are responsible for escorting the rescue helicopters in and out of the area. During Pacific Thunder, the 25th FS flew 34 individual CSAR missions, covering rescuers as the recovered simulated survivors day and night.

"Each mission is about two to five hours long," Lamoreux said. "Then we debrief some of our lessons learned."

The CSAR mission is important for several reasons. It denies the enemy intelligence they may gather from a captured pilot as well as a propaganda victory. It also provides a morale boost to other units and sends them a message: "We will come for you."

"It's the mechanism by which everyone keeps the faith," Lamoreux said.

With that faith at stake, Zeutschel said you have to bring your best to the mission.

"You're supporting people on the ground who are getting shot at and your urgency and your ability to prosecute those attacks have a very real impact on someone else and their ability to make it home," he said.

• Date Taken: 04.25.2014
• Date Posted: 04.24.2014 21:49
• Story ID: 127522
• Location: OSAN AIR BASE, KR