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Photo By Senior Airman Shannon Hall | A B-1B Lancer parks, while another taxis down the runway during weapons integration at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., June 14, 2017. In the final week of integration, the mission takes four days to review, prepare, plan and execute. To complete this three hour mission, 40 hours is invested by each participant. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Shannon Hall)  

ABILENE, TX, UNITED STATES

06.23.2017

Story by Senior Airman Shannon Hall 

7th Bomb Wing

Editor’s Note: Due to the security and safety of our Airmen, call-signs were used in the following article.

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas- The U.S. Air Force mission is to fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace and the U.S. Air Force Weapons School embodies this mission each and every day.

The USAFWS is responsible for training tactical experts and leaders of Airmen skilled in the art of integrated battle-space dominance across the land, air, space and cyber domains. Every year, approximately eight Dyess B-1B Lancer experts graduate from the school house.

“The Air Force Weapons School has been around since the 1950’s, but the schooling for the B-1 has existed for approximately 25 years,” said “Fiero”, 77th Weapons Squadron instructor. “There are two classes a year, and to date we have graduated over 200 students on the B-1.”

This is a five and a half month course, which begins at Nellis AFB, Nev. for academics and then training at the student’s home base. At the end of the five months the students, also known as weapons school undergraduates, or “WUGS”, participate in a capstone event at Nellis called weapons school integration, or WSINT.

There are three phases in the 77th Weapons Squadron’s weapons instructor course school. The first phase is defensive employment where the WUGS become experts on the defensive portion of being a B-1 aviator. Weapons employment is the second phase that covers different tactics available for the B-1 to employ the multiple weapons it has the ability to carry. The final phase is flexible targeting, which is when integration is implemented.

“In the first week of integration three to four different aircraft types are used to complete a mission, where the bombers are the primary strikers tasked with delivering their payload,” said “Swagr”, 77th Weapons Squadron instructor. “The second and third weeks build on the foundation by integrating more players and aircraft conducting similar missions, with the final mission involving more than 50 aircraft airborne integrating and working together to solve the tactical problem at hand.”

For the first few weeks of integration one mission takes two days to complete. An eight-hour mission planning brief takes place with all participants, to include studying and conducting any necessary preparations during the first day. The second day contains approximately two hours of flying time to execute the mission at hand, followed by a debrief.

“The debrief can take between three to four hours depending on how everything went,” “Swagr” said. “We determine if the initial plan was well-thought out, if valid tactics were implemented, plan execution and any deficiencies. Properly identifying problems ensures that students are better prepared for the next mission.”

In the final week of integration, the mission takes four days to complete. Students are given a scenario that outlines joint force commander’s needs and background intelligence of enemy forces. Once the information is reviewed, the second day is spent mission planning with all players to find a solution. Approximately three hours’ flying is needed to complete the mission and the fourth day is used for debriefing. To complete this three-hour mission, 40 hours is invested by each participant.

“In the end, we have taken B-1 experts, turned them into Air Force experts, and finally integration experts,” “Fiero” said. “Their ability to integrate all Air Force capabilities is what truly makes them weapons officers worthy of graduating and wearing the patch.”

For B-1 aviators to graduate this course, it takes the hard work and support of Airmen from multiple squadrons that assist with their capstone; WSINT.

“We bring out instructors, students, flyers from multiple B-1 squadrons, maintainers and aircrew flight equipment technicians,” “Fiero” said. “There are well over 100 people, and it’s pretty significant for Dyess to support us in that way to graduate four students.”

Upon completion of the final mission the instructors host a “patch” ceremony where the students receive their weapons school graduate patches prior to the official diploma ceremony. After graduation, students are sent back to their squadrons not only as B-1 aviators, but now as weapons school graduates.

“Weapons school is a long process and a lot of work. You may not see the end in sight, but it’s part of the process to build resiliency,” “Swagr” said. “This schooling not only changes what you know about the B1 and the Air Force, but also how you approach problems and find solutions. Once back at home base, the students are responsible for ensuring their squadron is ready for war at all times. It’s hard, but it’s also very rewarding.”

• Date Taken: 06.23.2017
• Date Posted: 06.27.2017 10:11
• Story ID: 238989
• Location: ABILENE, TX, US