Expeditionary training takes a team of mission support – Blue Flag 21

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Maeson Elleman | U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, work together to load an MJ-1 bomb lift next to an R-11 fuel truck inside a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft on Uvda Air Base, Israel, Nov. 2, 2021. In order to maintain presence and participation in the biennial Blue Flag exercise, which concluded Oct. 28, LRS Airmen secured transportation of all the necessary equipment required to keep the F-16C Fighting Falcons from Spangdahlem AB airborne. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Maeson L. Elleman)  

UVDA AIR BASE, ISRAEL

10.24.2021

Story by Capt. Kevyn Kaler 

52nd Fighter Wing

To deploy a combat-ready fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, it takes a full, multi-capable mission support team to maintain operations, champion partner integration and meet any challenge that arises during Blue Flag 21 at Uvda Air Base.

The mission support contingent started planning weeks before day one, as well as deployed in advance to ensure the main body and cargo arrived smoothly.

“A big [lesson learned] from my perspective … is the deployment phase,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Andrew Gallion, 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron project officer. “Getting all of our stuff packed up from our base in Germany and moved around the world – that takes practice. Practicing these skills is a good opportunity; you can’t do that at home. You could try to pretend, but nothing matches the real thing.”

Mission support capabilities are made up of five separate units, including logistics, civil engineering, communications, security forces and supply.

The support flights come together with maintenance professionals and aircrew to continuously support the long days during exercise operations.

“I’ve had a few conversations with different nations about how our jobs tie together, and how we are normally the first people in and the last people out,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Samuels, 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, outbound cargo supervisor. “I had not seen the maintenance side of the mission, but I do work with them to make sure they can ship out their parts and get it to where it needs to go.”

The Mission Support Group project officer for Blue Flag 21, 1st Lt. Christina Lundy, from the 52nd LRS, said this exercise not only validates operational and deployment skills, it allows every echelon to develop relations and learn valuable lessons from a multinational environment.

“Blue Flag allows us to interact with our foreign partners and to continue to improve our relationship with our allies, not only from a mission planning and strategic viewpoint, but also from just networking and building these relationships.” Lundy said. “

Blue Flag is an Israel-led biennial training event, essential to building and maintaining defensive interoperability and ensuring Israel's and allies' qualitative military edge. This year's exercise features fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft from several international partners, including France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, the U.S. and the U.K.

• Date Taken: 10.24.2021
• Date Posted: 10.24.2021 09:51
• Story ID: 407874
• Location: UVDA AIR BASE, IL