Compass Calls reach a high mark

Courtesy Photo | Staff Sgt Michael D. Anderson, 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron EC-130H Crew Chief, performs the preflight walkaround inspection prior to launch. The mission the plane took part in took the Compass Call aircraft of the 43 EECS, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing over 10,000 combat hours. The 43 EECS has been in theater since March, 2004.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

01.18.2007

Courtesy Story

386th Air Expeditionary Wing

By Staff Sgt. Ian Carrier
386 AEW/PA

SOUTHWEST ASIA - The trend of outstanding achievement here at the Rock has continued with another milestone surpassed by one of the units of the 385th Air Expeditionary Wing.

The 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron has overcome the 10,000 combat hour mark with their EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. The mark was hit Tuesday, 16 Jan. after a 7.4 hour sortie, bringing the total hours at that point to 10,005.6.

10,000 combat hours is a great achievement for any group, according to Lt. Col. Charles Owen, 43 EECS Commander.

"This is a group effort, it doesn't represent one squadron," explained Owen, citing that not only were members of the 43 EECS involved, but also the 755th Expeditionary Operational Support Squadron and the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron. And it wasn't just the flight crew.

"Even though maintenance has split off from us, they have done a phenomenal job. We couldn't have reached 10,000 hrs. without them," said Owens.

The 43 EECS has been in theater since March 3, 2004, deployed at that time to Tallil AB, Iraq as 43 EECS, 407th Expeditionary Operations Group, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. The first combat sortie flown on March 18, 2004. The unit deployed to the Rock June 24, 2004, as 43 EECS, 386th Expeditionary Operations Group, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing.

43 EECS is comprised about 40 personnel; four crews and command and support personnel. Equipped with EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, the 43rd flies missions all over Iraq, serving as an electronic attack platform to deny communications to the enemy, acting as a force multiplier for troops-in contact, and essentially depriving terrorist cells of external threat warning and disrupts internal command and control. As of August, 2006 the mission has expanded to go after enemy communications and try to isolate them, enabling ground forces to close and engage.

• Date Taken: 01.18.2007
• Date Posted: 01.18.2007 12:32
• Story ID: 8850
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)