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RestOps gives Osan ability to 'bounce back from attack'

By 1st Lt. Thomas Montgomery
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea (AMCNS) -- Exercise Beverly Bulldog 03-01 for Osan is not only a test of its ability to receive forces, defend the base and take the fight north. It also serves as a test bed for an advanced concept technology demonstration known as Restoration of Operations, or RestOps.

RestOps is not a demonstration about how to stay rested during an attack; in fact, it's a demonstration that proves the base can actually stay busier during an attack.

TransZone, one of the concepts being tested here, is a system of electronically controlled signs that display what sections of the base are contaminated from biological or chemical weapons.

"The intent of TransZone is to allow the base commander to free up some of his people on base from having to wear the full chemical protection suit, allowing them to work more efficiently," said John Demming, mobile chem-agent detector functional lead for RestOps.

When wearing the entire chemical protection ensemble, otherwise known as Mission

Oriented Protective Posture 4, airmen are protected from chemical and biological weapons but are susceptible to heat stress and find it more difficult to operate certain equipment.

"TransZone signs are simple marquis-type displays battery powered and solar recharged," said Demming. "The display can be changed by radio signal so all the displays base wide can be updated very quickly."

Once the base commander receives word of a chem/bio attack, the entire base dons the full protective ensemble. After initial reconnaissance sweeps confirm the location of contaminated areas, the commander gives the order to allow certain zones on base to doff the ensemble.

"It's pretty simple and straightforward to update the system," said Senior Airman Michael Horton, 51st Civil Engineer Squadron electrical shop and operator of the radio signal to the TransZone signs. "It's just like windows; point and click."

The old sign system relied on airmen to tape the current conditions all over base at the different stanchions around the base. Not only was it time consuming, but it also placed airmen at risk to exposure. (Courtesy Pacific Air Forces News Service)

(Editor's note: Osan AB, Korea, is a test site for the final RestOps demonstration. The last ACTD demonstration will assess the military utility of several new or improved chemical defense technologies and operational procedures. The ACTD first visited Osan in February 2001 and has participated in several combat employment readiness exercises over the past two years.)