Putting airborne 'eyes' on target from below
Feb. 3, 2003
By Staff Sgt. Bobby Yettman
15th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii--The Pohakuloa Training Area in Hawaii was host to members of the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron who directed F-16 Fighting Falcons toward their targets during the first ever Sentry Strike exercise.
Sentry Strike is a multi-service exercise involving the 25th ASOS, the Army's 25th Infantry Division (Light) from Schofield Barracks, the Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing from Tucson, Ariz., and a Navy SEAL team from Ford Island, according to Capt. Todd Moore, air liaison officer for the 25th ASOS.
The purpose of the exercise is to obtain close air support training missions for ASOS enlisted tactical air controllers and to provide familiarization training for both the 25th ID forward observers and the Navy SEALS CAS controllers.
Sentry Strike is unique because it capitalizes on an existing Air National Guard deployments to Oahu - Sentry Aloha. In addition, it benefits both the 25th ASOS controllers as well as the fighter pilots from the 162nd FW. Their pilots are required to maintain proficiency in both air-to-air combat, training they get from Hawaii Air National Guard F-15s, and proficiency in CAS employment, training they get from the 25th ASOS.
The ASOS' main air portion of the Sentry Strike exercise took place from Jan. 21 to 23, with a few members staying behind to assist the other services with their training.
"The 25th ASOS' tactical air control parties are required to maintain CAS currency by controlling a number of missions on a recurring basis," Capt. Moore said. "Due to the lack of CAS assets on-island and the expense of deploying to the mainland for CAS training, we created the Sentry Strike exercise which allows us to use CAS assets that are conducting regular air-to-air training with the HIANG."
Capt. Moore said the "borrowed" use of aircraft already visiting the islands allows the ASOS to save $20,000 every time a Sentry Strike exercise is held.
The Sentry Strike exercise also gets the members of the ASOS better integrated with how the Army does business, an important facet since the ASOS TACPs primarily support the 25th ID.
"Where ever they go, we go," Capt. Moore said. "Whenever the Army goes to fight, an Air Force person is there to bring in the Air Force planes."
Technical Sgt. Matt Griffith, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Sentry Strike exercise, said the training afforded by the Big Island trip is very useful in training the newer members of the squadron as well as keeping currency with the experienced members.
"You need to walk before you run," he said. "Here you can get down to the basics of the job. Talking a pilot's eyes onto a target is a difficult task. This range lets guys practice with differing fighters and their techniques."
Technical Sgt. Griffith, who's been to places like Bosnia and the Philippines, said the main difference between the Sentry Strike setting and a real conflict is the level of detail.
"In a real conflict, the targets won't be in the open," Tech. Sgt. Griffith said. "But if a TACP can put a plane on target here, he's got what he needs to be able to do the same in a real scenario."
Technical Sgt. Griffith said being at PTA demonstrates another of his jobs "basics."
"Being out here on a hill, working with the fighters is the best part of this job," he said. "Two days are never the same." (PACAFNS)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
