Photo By Senior Airman Renee Nicole Finona | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Logan Perry, 48th Operations Support Squadron airfield...... read more read more
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ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- The 48th Fighter Wing relies on a team of professionals who ensure the safe and continuous operation of its airfield. These experts are our airfield management Airmen.
From routine runway inspections to rapid emergency responses, 48th Operations Support Squadron airfield management supports every aircraft’s launch and return. Their role encompasses a range of functions vital to maintaining airfield integrity and operational readiness.
Their section performs daily comprehensive airfield inspections to identify potential hazards such as foreign object debris, pavement damage, or wildlife threats that could compromise flight safety.
These assessments start in the early mornings, long before the first aircraft takes off, and continue periodically while the airfield is open.
“We command the airfield and orchestrate the chaos,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Martiza Rivera, 48th OSS noncommissioned officer in charge of airfield management operations. “We keep the runway mission-ready and operations flowing, no matter the conditions.”
Airfield managers coordinate directly with air traffic control, transient alert, civil engineering and ground crews to ensure seamless runway operations.
They are also responsible for issuing secondary crash phone notifications and tracking weather changes, this ensures cross-agency situational awareness of any aircraft in-flight or ground emergencies, as well as any event that could affect routine flight operations.
“We don’t just teach procedures, we build mission-ready Airmen who own the runway under pressure,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel Ybarra, 48th OSS noncommissioned officer in charge of airfield operations training. “Mastering notice to airmen notifications, knowing taxiways and flight planning isn’t something for just anyone. It takes focus, precision and a deep sense of pride in the mission.”
As the Air Force continues to emphasize readiness and lethality, dispersed operations under the agile combat employment concept, the RAF Lakenheath’s airfield management section continues to adapt with the mission.
Their contributions enable rapid mobility of fighter aircraft in the European Theater and ensure the airfield remains functional, allowing aircrews to execute operational and training missions.
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.09.2025 09:53 |
| Story ID: | 499846 |
| Location: | RAF LAKENHEATH, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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