183rd Fighter Wing becomes simulated battlefield for Virtual Flag 16-1

Photo By Master Sgt. Patrick Kerr | The Illinois Air National Guard’s Maj. Luke Varner, left, works simulated offensive operations with U.S. Air Force Maj. Monika Johncour, right, from the 612th Air and Space Operations Center at Davis-Monthan, Air Force Base, Ariz., during exercise Virtual Flag, Dec. 2-10, 2015, in Springfield, Ill. Varner’s unit, the 183d Air Operations Group, hosted the air operations center portion of this major combat exercise. U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy personnel conducted joint training scenarios at the unit. More than 350 personnel participated through link-ups provided by the U.S. Air Force’s Distributed Mission Operations Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Shaun Kerr/Released).  

SPRINGFIELD, IL, UNITED STATES

12.11.2015

Story by Lt. Col. Laura Fogerty 

183rd Wing

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The Illinois Air National Guard’s 183rd Fighter Wing participated in the training exercise Virtual Flag, Dec. 2 – 10, 2015, hosting the air operations center portion of this major combat simulation. Over 350 personnel from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy participated nationwide.

Virtual Flag is a recurring exercise that provides training in joint operations utilizing a simulated battlespace distributed to connected participants. Training networks are specifically designed to link simulators from around the world.

The U.S. Air Force’s Distributed Mission Operations Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, delivered the simulation. The DMOC developed the scenario and training events and acted as a central hub for the exercise.

Thousands of training events were played out by land, sea, air, and space forces within the Department of Defense. The battle setting mirrored the contested and degraded environments in current conflicts.

“The DMOC developed an exercise construct that’s realistic and extremely challenging,” said Col. Rick Yoder, commander of the 183rd Air Operations Group. “The scenario was designed to focus players’ attention on the interaction between the tactical and operational levels of a battle. That interaction is critical to our success in command and control."

Airmen operated from simulators across the country while working with warfighters from the various services. Close air support missions and personnel recovery missions were just a few of the joint operations played out in Virtual Flag.

The air operations center at the 183rd features a sophisticated array of systems and technologies that enable the unit to train and operate with partners at the local, state and federal level.

In addition to the unit’s federal alignment with 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, the 183rd is the operational base of the Illinois National Guard’s Joint Task Force for complex catastrophes.

Since opening in 2013, the 183rd has hosted multiple training exercises with military and civilian partners.

• Date Taken: 12.11.2015
• Date Posted: 12.11.2015 15:44
• Story ID: 184299
• Location: SPRINGFIELD, IL, US