Photo By Tech. Sgt. Chance Johnson | From left, Tech. Sgt. Shawn Whetstone, 140th Maintenance Group, and Tech. Sgt....... read more read more
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Airmen from the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard volunteered to help meet the requirements of the Aging and Surveillance Program and the Center Test Authority at Hill Air Force Base, Utah while simultaneously accomplishing an agile combat employment exercise, Jan. 9 through 12, 2023. The team battled rain, snow, and cold throughout the week in order to meet the mission requirements. Within a few hours of arriving from Buckley Space Force Base on a C-17 Globemaster III, courtesy of the 172nd Airlift Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard, the team was loading munitions onto their F-16 Fighting Falcons in the inclement weather. In 2020, the 140th was the first ANG unit to successfully execute the ACE exercise.
ACE implements a scenario in which a lean, minimalist group of personnel and equipment forward deploy to an austere location in preparation for fighter jets to arrive. Immediately upon arrival, the aircraft are refueled, munitions are loaded, and the jets are relaunched as expediently as possible.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrew “Chaos” Davis, pilot, 120th Fighter Squadron, 140th Wing, led the charge as commander of the exercise while also serving as a squadron pilot. "The smaller footprint, in theory, makes us more nimble and easier to move to austere locations," Davis said in regards to the importance of the exercise. He went on to explain that Hill was the ideal location for the event due to the massive size of the base's bomb range for testing live ordinance. Additionally, he explained that the range has equipment to record ordinance employments so that the test community is able to review the drops.
The exercise was mutually beneficial to the 140th and the A&S Program, which falls under the CTA at Hill. U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. James Berry, munitions flight test non-commissioned officer in charge, Hill AFB, explained that the tests are conducted in coordination with Utah Test and Training Range through various units, such as the 140th, who are able to support their mission. The A&S Program validates munition builds and components through drop/test events to verify aging stockpile munition serviceability. The requirement for this test was to successfully drop 16 CBU-87's, a cluster bomb that has been in storage for decades. While the 140th was able to complete the ACE exercise, the aforementioned programs at Hill utilized the unique features of the F-16 in order to test the functionality of the CBU-87. According to Davis, the F-16 was ideal for this test as the CBU-87 is an outdated weapon. Hill hosts the F-35 Lighting II, which is unable to carry the CBU-87 due to its incompatibility as an updated aircraft. The weapon remains in the 140th's stockpile as backup, and can only be employed by some of their aging F-16s.
140th Wing Commander U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher “Wedge” Southard also participated in the event as a squadron pilot, and emphasized the success of ACE in creating a "light, lean, and agile" entity to stand in the way of our adversaries. "Large bases with huge infrastructure, like in Central Command, become high value targets for a peer adversary who can penetrate our defenses," Southard said. "A plethora of smaller bases with limited facilities complicate our enemies' targeting solution and make friendly forces more survivable."
While acknowledging that the CBU-87 does not have much "applicability to the high-end fight," Southard explained that the training received from loading up on a C-17 with personnel and equipment, flying to an unfamiliar location, unpacking the cargo jet, reconfiguring the F-16s, and loading live munitions is an outstanding training opportunity for 140th Airmen. "Our pilots were dropping live weapons less than 18 hours after leaving home base. This is ACE!"
When asked how the capabilities of the 140th might be increased with an updated aircraft like the F-35, Southard explained that due to its stealth design, the F-35 has the ability to penetrate far inside the adversaries’ air defenses. "We must utilize small airfields closer to the enemy to project Air Power," he said. "This is exactly what ACE and the F-35 are designed to do."
Southard explained that for an exercise like ACE to be possible, "multi-capable Airmen" are essential to its success. This means that ACE members must perform duties outside of their typical Air Force Specialty Code, contributing to a team's “light, lean, and agile” structure. The extensive MCA program ensures safety and mission accomplishment for the ACE teams. In addition to MCA, Southard cited another significant achievement from the week, being that the 140th's two youngest pilots dropped live weapons for the first time. "Our first lieutenants went eight for eight on their live weapons drops, which is a testament to the quality of pilots the 120th Fighter Squadron continues to produce," Southard said.
"I am continually impressed with what our Wing accomplishes every day. We make complex mission sets like this four-day ACE trip (which includes dropping live and fighting alongside our F-35 teammates) look routine. We continue to demonstrate why the 140th Wing is worthy of fighter recapitalization to replace our aging F-16s."
U.S. Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Ed Hauschild, 140th Wing, was also in attendance for the event, and made special note on why it’s important for Airmen to volunteer for training and developmental opportunities like ACE. “These Airmen have committed to the extra training required, and once qualified, are part of a very unique team within our Wing,” he said, describing the MCA program. “They get to experience something different from their day to day jobs, and they get to work alongside Airmen that they probably would not have known if they just performed their own specialties.”
Hauschild referenced U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Esmeralda Ayala, supply technician, 140th Logistic Readiness Squadron as an example of the MCA program in action. “When we were out on the flightline, we saw her launch a jet, and was also part of the crew that fueled a jet on recovery,” he said. “Tech. Sgt. Ayala is a 7-level in supply, however, she was performing tasks like a seasoned maintainer,” he said. “This is something we would not have considered years ago, however, these Airmen are our Wing’s pioneers, and are paving the way to how we will be doing business in the future. Through the trial and error of their experiences, they are shaping what the future looks like.”
Ayala echoed the enthusiasm she shares for the opportunities she’s been given to take on challenges outside of her “comfort zone” and her AFSC while taking part in the MCA program. “Being a part of ACE ties what I do in logistics with the maintenance component. It helps me learn more about our aircraft through what the crew chiefs and other subject matter experts repair and inspect,” she said. “I haven't launched alone yet, but assisting with launching, refueling, and recovering a plethora of jets was not something I ever thought I would do, but I love it!”
She also described how the 140th is setting the standard by spearheading events like ACE, while utilizing the MCA concept. “I love that we are the pioneers of this program, and are molding it to truly make us efficient and adaptable while helping other units follow in our footsteps to be just as versatile.”
Ayala makes the case that all of the variables to a successful exercise can only occur with strong leadership. “My leadership has been extremely helpful and encouraging as we create a standard template for our processes and procedures. They keep me informed of all ACE-related meetings and information, even as a drill status guardsman,” she said. “I love what we do!”
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2023 13:18 |
| Story ID: | 437808 |
| Location: | CO, US |
| Web Views: | 296 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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