Photo By Senior Airman Renee Nicole Finona | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Lucy Fetscher, 48th Munitions Squadron munitions...... read more read more
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ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- The Department of the Air Force, alongside specialized technicians and engineers, evaluated the Liberty Wing’s ability to sustain mission-essential operations during an energy resilience and readiness exercise April 22.
Known as a “black start,” the exercise tested each squadron’s ability to run checklists and initiate protocols to sustain mission-critical tasks such as communications, flying operations and emergency services when experiencing a loss of power.
The exercise focused on ensuring all units across the wing could maintain the mission with the lights off, as adversaries may target energy infrastructure during a conflict. Mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act, ERREs are crafted so bases make the proper adjustments to facilities, communications and programs after experiencing a power outage for an extended time.
“Our goal here is to test as many Air Force missions as possible,” said Greg Anderson, Analytics Services Incorporated project manager. “This report provides another avenue to advocate and fix an issue or process.”
During the outage, Airmen were put to the test along with the generators and uninterruptible power sources. Some units may be required to move to an alternate duty location to continue operations.
“In a situation like this, it’s essential to delegate and evaluate alternate location protocols to ensure continued operations that are vital to munitions movements,” said Staff Sgt. Vashonda Frank, 48th Munitions Squadron senior munitions controller.
According to Frank, the 48th MUNS team is instructed to move swiftly and with intention while executing the emergency action plan.
Whether relocating or staying put, mission execution remains the top priority at the Liberty Wing. For some Airmen, that meant keeping constant watch on the aircraft overhead.
“We didn’t lose a single radio or lose our feed… we just continued operations,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Boren, 48th Operations Support Squadron radar approach control facility assistant chief controller. “To the Airmen sitting at the scope, they know their equipment is working, so they keep fighting.”
The observation team will take back data collected and brief their findings, which will identify stop-gaps, process issues, and possible technology investments for the installation.
“This was an absolute success,” said Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Jimenez, 48th Fighter Wing ERRE core manager. “Sure there are growing pains, but we’ve found some great pieces of information out of this, so I’m excited to see what the future holds for our installation.”
The exercise didn’t just open doors for advancement; it also reaffirmed the base’s commitment to a broader mission.
"We have the best interest of our service members stationed here, as well as our NATO Allies in mind,” said Jimenez. "That's why we’re doing everything we can to thwart our adversaries by maintaining our mission and supporting our allies through any energy degradation event."
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2025 10:33 |
| Story ID: | 496188 |
| Location: | RAF LAKENHEATH, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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