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Operation Seawolf

Photo By Master Sgt. Duane Duimstra | Staff Sgt. Cooper Elliason, 114th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief,...... read more read more

CORONADO, CA, UNITED STATES

02.23.2024

Story by Master Sgt. Duane Duimstra

114th Fighter Wing

114th Fighter Wing Airmen traveled to Naval Base North Island, Coronado, California, for Operation Sea Wolf from Jan. 20 - Feb. 3, 2024. The main objective of the training exercise is to execute joint agile maritime operations.

“This training with the Navy, Marines, and other Air Force units allows us to train on things we really can't do back in South Dakota,” said Lt. Col. Eric Cleveringa, 175th Fighter Squadron commander.

Operation Seawolf benefited pilots, maintainers, and other 114th Airmen by implementing Multicapable Airman training. It allowed Airmen to work in an unfamiliar and austere environment to put their skills to the test by accomplishing the flying mission with a smaller team.

On top of MCA being implemented, Agile Combat Employment was also accomplished by sending a small team of Airmen to a different location to launch and recover jets.

“ACE allowed us to flex our ability to operate under a very constrained environment with limited equipment, limited personnel, and really force Airmen to learn new ways to adapt and overcome some challenges,” said Senior Master Sgt. Andy Mager, 114th Maintenance Group equipment maintenance flight chief.

The final objective of this training exercise is to find confidence in uncertainty. That objective was achieved with several factors going against 114th Fighter Wing Airmen and the flying mission.

“There's a lot of uncertainty with this training deployment, the weather, the jets, our workspace and ultimately coming out of this, the 114 fighter wing members have developed confidence in working in austere locations while working with multiple services and facing weather and maintenance issues,” said Cleveringa.