NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. –
Students of the 57th Weapons Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J., participated in one of the largest exercises in the Air Force May 9 over the Nevada Test and Training Range here.
Nearly 40 aircraft from Air Force bases across the U.S. participated in the Mobility Air Forces Exercise, which involved six-and-a-half to seven-hour flight sorties, an aerial refueling, simulated cargo and personnel air drops while avoiding enemy fire, and landing on a dirt airstrip at a replicated forward deployed location.
"This is kind of our Super Bowl," said Capt. Bryan Bailey, 57th WPS C-17 Weapons Instructor Course student and mission planning cell chief for the MAFEX. "We've been here working nonstop to bring these players together. We've got aircraft coming from all over the U.S. to one objective area, all in about an hour - there are a lot of moving parts."
The students, who will graduate from the five-and-a-half month long course June 14, were given a specific threat scenario developed by the squadron's intelligence sources; they then have three days to plan the mission.
"Students are graded on using proper tactics to deal with that scenario, including preemptive tactics as well as any reactive measures they would take should it become necessary," said Maj. Philip Lynch, 57th WPS instructor. "A large portion of it is in the planning. Students must plan a primary course of action and then develop a contingency plan. For example: They'll plan to go to a drop zone and if they don't get to drop off the first time, they'll plan a way to reattack that drop zone to get the Army's people and equipment there."
Upon receiving their mission objective and a basic plan of what sources are available to support the mission, the students plan the specifics, working nearly non-stop during the three-day planning period before mission execution. The feelings of excitement, tension and sheer exhaustion were palpable in the final hours of planning and preparation.
The plan seems simple enough: Sixteen C-17s and 17 C-130s, divided into two teams, will deliver cargo and personnel to a remote location. One team of aircraft will airdrop supplies and personnel, followed by the second team of aircraft that will land, offload additional cargo and personnel, and take off again. Add combat air patrols - two A-10s, two F-15Es and two F-16s - that will accompany the cargo aircraft to ward off enemy attacks, aerial refuelings and the inevitable complications of more than three dozen aircraft departing from around the country at different times to rendezvous within one hour at a specific location and things get a little complicated.
During the final brief, the students expressed excitement about the task ahead - and the end of grueling 18-hour planning days. But they were all business as they conducted pre-flight checks and prepared to take off. Over the next few hours, there was constant communication between the lead aircraft and the others as positions and air speeds were assessed to determine rendezvous times and locations.
According to Major Lynch, the students performed well. Despite a few setbacks - including missing an entire flight due to timing and losing more aircraft after an enemy attack - the teams delivered the cargo and returned to Nellis AFB with lessons learned, which is most important.
"One of the most important parts of this is figuring out what they did right and what areas they need to improve on for next time," said Major Lynch. "That way if they have to do this for real, they'll have some lessons learned on what went well and what they might do different."
Upon graduation, the students will be the teachers - sharing their new knowledge and experiences with their fellow Airmen.
"The objective of the training is to embed the practical knowledge to plan large exercises like this, so that we can go out the door and plan operations in the event that we need them," said Captain Bailey, who will return to the 517th Airlift Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, upon graduation. "Our job is to take the knowledge and pass it down to the entire crew force as much as we can."