Creating the 'air picture:' Tinker airman first class, North Hollywood native, sets sights on airborne warning and control efforts in Southwest Asia

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Airman 1st Class Keith Williams, an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft air surveillance technician with the 965th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron, flies on a deployed E-3 air mission in Southwest Asia on Feb. 16. Williams is deployed from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and his hometown is North Hollywood, Calif.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

03.12.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Though he's been in the Air Force less than two years, Airman 1st Class Keith Williams is doing something that is more than a "blip" in someone's radar.

As an air surveillance technician flying combat missions aboard the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, this Airman is helping win the war effort through creating an "air picture" for airspace battle management.

"We get the 'picture' up after everything is up and running," said Williams, who is deployed with the 965th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. "As an air surveillance technician, our job is to track any airborne assets and identify them so we can know what's in the air so our aircraft will have knowledge of what it is. If there is a problem, we can direct the proper assets to take care of the problem."

To create the "picture," Williams said, "We receive dots on our screen and we tag them up to determine a track. Our senior surveillance technician, who is in charge of our section, connects the dots to establish the links which in turn creates the picture on our radar screens."

Williams said everything he does with his fellow Airmen in the air surveillance helps the rest of the AWACS team complete their objectives throughout a mission.

"Having a good air picture helps the mission crew commander because he has to know everything that goes on to make decisions," Williams said. "He has to have a complete picture of what everything is that's going on around him - with the aircraft. In the weapons section, they need to see a good picture to know where they should send their assets - whether it's in the air or on the ground."

According to its Air Force fact sheet, in support of air-to-ground operations, the E-3 Sentry can provide direct information needed for interdiction, reconnaissance, airlift and close-air support for friendly ground forces. It can also provide information for commanders of air operations to gain and maintain control of the air battle. It's this effort that is taking place in area like Afghanistan and where Williams said he's glad to be a part of the force directly support the effort.

"I'm happy about the opportunity that I've been given in coming here on this deployment," Williams said. "The combat flights are long hours, but after you are done you kind of leave them with great sense of mission accomplishment."

In joining the military, Williams said he wanted to be "a part of something special."

"I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself," he said. "I wanted to do something meaningful for my country. Joining the Air Force has provided that."

The 965th AACS is part of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. In addition to the E-3 Sentry, the wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragonlady and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

• Date Taken: 03.12.2010
• Date Posted: 03.12.2010 23:03
• Story ID: 46600
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)