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KEFTACEX a Success, Looks Toward '04

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030829-11

Release Date: 8/29/2003 11:17:00 PM

By Lt. j.g. Ron Flanders, Naval Air Station Keflavik Public Affairs

KEFLAVÍK, Iceland (NNS) -- Keflavík Tactical Exchange (KEFTACEX) 2003 concluded Aug. 24, with a debrief on the lessons learned by the seven nations involved in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise. Aircrews from the United States (Patrol Squadrons (VP) 10, 45, and 66), United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway left with lessons learned.

The crew from the Danish frigate HDMS Triton (F 358) was also on hand to offer their input on how each aircrew did, tracking and simulating attacks on the French submarine Casabianca (S 603).

Rear Admiral J. J. Waickwicz, commander, Fleet Air Keflavík (CFK), called the exercise "a total success."

"This is my third one," said Waickwicz. "The first one I was here for, we were OK. Last year was the biggest one we've had. This year, though, was definitely the smoothest."

Ten aircraft flew 40 sorties for a total of more than 200 flight hours. The allies were able to complete 97 percent of their scripted on-station time for the exercise. For the majority of that time, aircraft had contact with the enemy sub.

"Every crew here is going to say they were the best," said Capt. Richard Goodwyn, CFK Chief of Staff. "But, that's the mentality that you have to have in order to survive out there. It's a dangerous business. You're flying down at 200 feet in some really rocking weather, and you're trying to track somebody who's trying to avoid you and who has the ability to kill you."

Not only is the mission dangerous, it continues to be very important in the 21st century.

"There are 40 countries out there with over 400 submarines," said Goodwyn. "They're not buying them off the shelf at K-Mart. These are quality submarines that they're getting from some third-world countries that we consider the 'bad guys' in the world."

Goodwyn added that as resources decrease and P-3 Orion squadrons are tasked with non-ASW missions, such as drug interdiction patrols and over-land recon flights in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, the importance of KEFTACEX only increases.

"Everybody is going to go home and be a lot closer to being a finely honed machine, or war machine, if you will, than they were before they came up here," Goodwyn said.

This year's exercise brought some unexpected surprises. One came when a Boeing 747 passenger jet was in distress. The Norwegian P-3 quickly came to her assistance, acting as its "wingman" until it could land safely at Keflavík. After getting the plane down safely, the Norwegian plane resumed its patrol, regaining contact with the French sub.

Even before the exercise came to an end, CFK planners were already looking at ways to increase the size and scope for KEFTACEX 2004.

"During KEFTACEX, a sub gets a lot of training down there," Goodwyn said. "But when there are two subs, that's great. When there are three, that's even better. Some people have already said, 'We're very interested.' The NATO folks will respond from the MPA (maritime patrol aircraft) assets. KEFTACEX should at least be bigger, if not better next year."