Dannelly Field participates in Sentry Savannah

Photo By Staff Sgt. Hayden Johnson | Airmen with the 187th Fighter Wing, Dannelly Field, Ala., participate in Sentry Savannah 19-2 April 9, 2019, at Savannah Air National Guard Base, Ga. This exercise is specifically designed for units to hone their combat skills in a simulated contested environment. Portions of this photo have been masked for security purposes. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by SrA Hayden Johnson)  

DANNELLY FIELD, AL, UNITED STATES

04.09.2019

Story by Capt. Jenny Hyden 

187th Fighter Wing

The 187th Fighter Wing here deployed approximately 600 airmen and thirteen F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to Savannah Air National Guard Base, Savannah, Ga., April 8, 2019, to participate in a two-week exercise, Sentry Savannah.

This exercise is specifically designed for units to hone their skills in a simulated contested environment.

“You don’t stay the most lethal Air Force in the world by doing the same thing day in and day out,” said Colonel William Sparrow, 187th FW commander. “We need the practice of rapidly packing up and moving out and launching aircraft from a new and unfamiliar location. We need
to encounter new challenges so we can find creative ways to solve those challenges. We need to simulate what it’s like to get up and go, so we can get up and get after our adversaries at a moment’s notice.”

A large contingent of the 187th FW returned from a combat deployment to Southwest Asia in early 2019, and the entire unit returned from a deployment to Afghanistan in late 2017. Sentry Savannah offers opportunities to develop combat skills outside of the unit’s recent experience.

“There’s always something to be learned, no matter who you are, no matter where you are. The true measure of success from this exercise will be counted in the lessons learned and challenges overcome in the next two weeks,” Sparrow said.

• Date Taken: 04.09.2019
• Date Posted: 04.09.2019 16:02
• Story ID: 317472
• Location: DANNELLY FIELD, AL, US