Photo By Senior Airman Luis E. Rios Calderon | Parts of two F-35A Lightning II helmet mouthpieces sit on a table, ready for assembly,...... read more read more
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Every morning, aircrew flight equipment Airmen perform pre-flight inspections, checking helmets, G-suits and flight gear before pilots step to their aircraft.
When a fighter squadron deploys to operate out of a new area, it goes without saying the maintainers will go with them to launch the jets, maintain the jets etc. But there are several accessory agencies that have to go as well that people may not often consider.
So when the 4th Fighter Squadron from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, deployed to Japan, then again to Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Tsuiki Air Base as part of the Tsuiki Aviation Training Relocation program, AFE went too – and they went with as little gear as possible.
ATR is an agile combat employment exercise that tests a unit's ability to work with JASDF forces in the air while maintaining maximum mobility by packing what is essential to get pilots off the ground and keep them safe in the sky.
As the ATR continues, pilots look to the AFE Airmen to ensure their equipment is 100% operational,
“We make sure to provide them with whatever they need,” said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class William Iglehart, 388th Operations Support Squadron AFE technician. “Our job is similar to customer service, we make sure our pilots are provided for.”
Members participating in the ATR are from various units under the 18th Wing and the 388th Fighter Wing and will be given the opportunity to practice deployed ACE operations while performing bilateral training in a joint environment alongside the JASDF’s 6th and 8th Air Wing.
“It’s been a great experience so far,” said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Hannah Cortez, 388th Operations Support Squadron AFE technician. “It has tested my capabilities, from my adaptability to my knowledge on my job.”
One of the many challenges they usually face during temporary duty travel is knowing what they need for the area they are going. Do they need cold weather gear? What if they need to include some extra gear based on the specific pilot’s preference? These are the questions they need answers to before they leave, said Cortez.
After every flight, the AFE Airmen inspect and clean the pilot’s gear, checking it for any malfunctions before preparing the pilot’s gear for their next flight once they make sure everything is good to go.
Iglehart said he had expected things to run smoothly during the ATR, as their mission required them to be able to move from one place to another on short notice while still maintaining the same standards that keep their pilots in the sky.
“As F-35 pioneers in a way, it’s our job to know what we can bring and what we don’t need to ensure we get our pilots and aircraft off the ground,” said Iglehart. “And that’s something we can put to the test during events like ATR, making sure that no matter where we go, our process is always going to be the same and our pilots are going to come back safely.”
The ability to move with a light pack, at a moment’s notice, is what makes up the ACE model, and exercises like the Tsuiki ATR prove AFE can do just that.
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2023 23:35 |
| Story ID: | 459780 |
| Location: | TSUIKI AIR BASE, FUKUOKA, JP |
| Web Views: | 137 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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