18th Air Force performs 16-hour, trans-Pacific flight in support of Exercise Talisman Sabre

Photo By Master Sgt. Jason Robertson | U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Ty Brooks a C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster from the 446 Airlift Wing, inspects equipment prior to air dropping four container delivery systems at Exercise Talisman Sabre July 8, 2015, over Kapyon drop zone, Australia. Exercise Talisman Sabre is a U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM)- sponsored exercise that trains PACOM forces in a high-end, mid-intensity warfighting scenario involving a Combined Task Force (CTF). PACOM forces and Australian Defense Forces (ADF) will establish, constitute, command and control a Combined Task Force (CTF-660) of U.S. and Australian forces that will enable assessment of the primary training audiences in order to exercise combined operational warfighting in the Pacific theater. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson/Released)  

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

07.17.2015

Courtesy Story

18th Air Force

By Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson
1st Combat Camera Squadron

QUEENSLAND, Australia - U.S. and Royal Australian Air Force Airmen flew a combined formation of C-17 aircraft more than 16 hours straight across the Pacific Ocean this past week as part of 18th Air Force’s participation in Exercise Talisman Saber 15.

Exercise Talisman Sabre is a U.S. Pacific Command - sponsored exercise that trains USPACOM forces in a high-end, mid-intensity warfighting scenario involving a Combined Task Force.

“We took off as a five-ship formation, performed air refueling en-route to Australia where we airdropped around 450 paratroopers so they could participate in Talisman Sabre,” said Capt. Michael Povilaitis, 15th Airlift Squadron pilot from Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

The 18th Air Force contribution to the exercise included C-17s and aircrews from the 446th Airlift Wing and 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C., supported by KC-10 Extenders and crews from the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

As part of the exercise, mobility Airmen airdropped more than 450 Army paratroopers from the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Brigade, and cargo into Kapyong drop zone, Australia.

“It was a great opportunity,” said Povilaitis. “Not everything went perfect and never does, but we learned a lot and we got there on time and on target.”

Royal Australian Air Force Capt. Robert Krupinski, 15th Airlift Squadron exchange pilot, said that although there are differences in how the U.S. and Australian Air Forces operate, the formation’s aircrews worked very well together.

“We all came together with the same job,” he said. “We had a few minor differences because of our operating procedures and levels of training, but it all came together very well in the end. We were able to affect the mission in a very successful manner.”

More than 33,000 forces from the U.S. and Australia participated in Talisman Saber. The Australia-U.S. alliance remains a critical defense relationship and a central pillar of each nation’s security strategy. This is the sixth iteration of Talisman Sabre since 2005. Eighteenth Air Force provides air mobility forces to combatant commanders and carries out Air Mobility Command’s operational role as Air Forces Transportation, the air component of U.S. Transportation Command.

• Date Taken: 07.17.2015
• Date Posted: 07.17.2015 08:53
• Story ID: 170323
• Location: QUEENSLAND, AU