Communications key to Special Operations success
PACAF News
Release Date: 5/28/2003
By Master Sgt Michael Farris 353rd Special Operations Group, Public Affairs
UDON THANI, Thailand - More than 200 Batcats are scattered throughout Thailand for Cobra Gold 2003, a multi-nation, multi-service exercise designed to ensure regional peace, strengthen the ability of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and demonstrate U.S. resolve in the region.
It's Lt. Col. Richard Samuels' job to ensure every member of the 353rd Special Operations Group -- and every other special operations aviation unit -- is on the same sheet of music no matter where in the Kingdom they are.
"Without a doubt, our biggest challenge here has been communications," he said. As Cobra Gold Joint Special Operations Aviation Component Commander and Mission Commander for the 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan, Samuels orchestrates a lot of moving parts.
Crews from the 17th Special Operations Squadron flying MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft were busy in the early stages of the exercise conducting personnel and resupply airdrops, and aerial refueling helicopters from E Company of the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Taegu AB, Korea. ECHO Company conducted airdrops and infiltration operations for Thai and U.S. special operations forces.
Later, the 17th was joined by its sister squadron, the 1st SOS flying MC-130H Combat Talons. Mission profiles for the Talons include infiltration, exfiltration and high-speed resupply operations.
"The two biggest pieces of the Special Operations air picture are the MC-130s here and the Army MH-47 Chinook helicopters in Utapao, 250 miles south. Communications support to E/160 rolled in late so the geographic separation made communication challenging."
Various tests throughout the Cobra Gold schedule are called full mission profiles -- where several components pull together to exercise specific tasks. "We established secure communications with our Army brothers just one day before the FMP," Samuels said. "The lesson learned here is to get communications established early."
Combat Shadow pilot Lt. Col. Walt Schenberger echoes Samuels' sentiments. "The communications connectivity is crucial during pre-mission planning and mission execution. The ability to talk with the helicopter crews as we plan and fly Cobra Gold missions is crucial."
Samuels said the 353rd maintenance troops and aircrews have knuckled-down and generated an incredible number of missions during the first two weeks. "Logistically, we have more than 200 people and hundreds of tons of equipment operating from four locations. The Group's ability to adapt to dynamic operational requirements is impressive."
Cobra Gold is a huge exercise and airspace is a big issue. Airspace managers, in a nutshell, keep airplanes a safe distance from each other in often-confined spaces. "Our orders flow down from the Commanders in the Combined Special Operations HQ," Samuels explained. "We put together plans to execute those missions and submit airspace requests to deconflict our missions with conventional air forces. The SOF air community now has enough connectivity that we're able to present a consolidated request. This level of integration is the stuff planners dreamed about ten years ago."
Samuels said the Batcats have worked closely with their Thai counterparts and rely heavily on the Theater Special Operations Air Component. This team of a dozen operators, logisticians and planners allows the SOG and other SOF air units to seamlessly integrate into a Joint Special Operations Aviation Component headquarters.
"Cobra Gold is important for the 353rd SOG because it allows us to continue interfacing with our international partners in the war on terrorism," Samuels said. "When there's a real-world contingency and our respective governments ask us to work together quickly, efficiently and accurately, we're able to do it. Thailand continues to be an important ally in this potentially volatile part of the world."
Cobra Gold is scheduled to continue through the end of May. (Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces News Service)
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