Feature - 379th Air Expeditionary Wing

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Desert Eagle News Sniper ATP-equipped B-1 has combat fi rst By Capt. Kristen Pate 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs Editor’s note: The names of B-1 aircrew members interviewed for this article are being withheld for operational security reasons. A Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod-equipped B-1 Lancer here had its fi rst weapon employment in combat Aug. 4 successfully targeting enemy forces on the ground and dropping one guided bomb unit-38 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. A long-range precision targeting system, the Sniper ATP provides enhanced target identifi cation for aircrew, allowing them to detect and analyze targets on the ground via real-time imagery. The pod’s advanced image processing algorithm combined with its stabilization techniques, out performs the best systems in service today, according to Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the pod. B-1s were recently modifi ed in order to carry the pod, which has been integrated on various fi ghter aircraft, including the F-15E, F-16 Block 30/40/50 and the A-10, since 2001. In July 2006, U.S. Air Forces Central fi led an urgent need request for a B-1 with advanced targeting pod capability, according to Maj. Marc London, Headquarters U.S. Air Force Combat Forces Requirements, chief of bomber requirements. Following a request by the Air Force’s Combat Forces Requirements Division, Congress allocated $24.7 million towards the project, paving the way for the 15-month acquisition, aircraft modifi cation and testing phase. Regulations implemented by the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and the USSR played a role in why the B-1 community is just now implementing the Sniper ATP. “As a part of the START, B-1s were classifi ed as no longer nuclear capable and we were not authorized to use the exterior of the aircraft to mount pods,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Kennedy, 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron Commander. “We had to get approval to mount the pods on the exterior of the aircraft.” The B-1 was originally designed for low-altitude, high-speed fl ight against deliberate targets, Colonel Kennedy said. “In today’s fi ght, we are most often employed in a close air support role from medium altitude,” he said. “In that capacity, a Sniperequipped B-1 is an exponential increase in combat capability.” Before the Sniper ATP, B-1 aircrews used only high-resolution radar to “see” their targets. “The big difference with radar is only large objects, like buildings, are visible,” said an aircraft commander from the 34 EBS. “We could see buildings and vehicles but not people. Also, radar is a picture in time whereas the pod provides us with real-time, streaming video, which enhances our capability.” The Sniper ATP also eases communication with ground personnel, allowing aircrew to put bombs on target quickly and precisely. “Now the guys on the ground can see the video provided by the pod at the same time as us and that’s something we’ve never been able to do before,” another aircrew member said. “The pod also gives us immediate bomb damage assessment whereas before, any assessment had to come from someone on the ground.” The 34 EBS, deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., only recently arrived at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. Prior to their deployment, pilots, weapons systems offi cers and maintenance personnel received required training on the Sniper ATP, which was installed on the B-1 in April. “The training requirement was signifi cant because it took place during our regular spin-up time prior to the deployment,” Colonel 4 Kennedy said. “For aircrew, the training involved approximately 10 to 12 hours of academics, three fl ights for WSOs and two fl ights for pilots. When you’re talking 50 crewmembers fl ying the same three aircraft, this is a challenge.” The 440-pound pod also posed a challenge to maintenance personnel. Attached to the outside of the B-1 via an 884-pound pylon, the pod requires specialized training for those responsible for keeping the bomber in the air. B-1 aircraft require a hard-point modifi cation in order to carry the pylon and Sniper ATP and extensive electrical and aviation modifi cations were made in order to allow the Sniper to operate with existing avionics, said Capt. Chris Glidden, 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit offi cer in charge. “Training plays a critical role in fi elding a new subsystem like the Sniper pod,” Captain Glidden said. “Avionics and weapons systems technicians attend a school in Florida to learn how to maintain, repair and up and download the pod and its supporting pylon.” The Sniper ATP’s design allows for true two-level maintenance which eliminates costs and man hours related to intermediate-level support. Prior to their deployment, maintenance personnel with the 34 AMU ensured more than 40 pieces of support equipment were in theater in order to support the pod’s arrival, Captain Glidden said. “Support equipment includes consolidated tool kits, specialized adapters for bomb loaders and support dollies,” he said. “Additionally, several supply kit items required modifi cation in order to support this new critical capability.” Much of the essential maintenance equipment required software upgrades and every maintenance and logistical organization from the fl ight line to the back shops played a critical part in the Sniper pod’s arrival, Captain Glidden said. “The Sniper pod itself may have made it into theater after a two-day fl ight from home station but hundreds of maintenance and logistics personnel spent many months behind the scenes to make it happen,” he said. It takes approximately 45 days for a B-1 to be modifi ed to carry the Sniper ATP. Once the pylon is attached to the aircraft, the pod is loaded with a MAU-12 bomb rack, according to Michael Schnell, B-1 Avionics, Air Force Engineering and Technical Services. “The aircraft went to Davis Monthan [Air Force Base, Ariz.,] for modifi cation and then to Ellsworth [AFB] where the aircrew and maintenance personnel got to train with them,” Mr. Schnell said. “It’s all very new to us but with the few fl ights we’ve had, it’s performed very well.” The Sniper ATP has a 97 percent mission capable rate and, according to Mr. Schnell, the majority of required maintenance can be performed with the pod still on the aircraft. All B-1s assigned to the 379 AEW will soon be equipped with the Sniper ATP and commanders here are already impressed with the increased capability it has provided in the area of operations. “Sniper ATP brings an amazing new capability to the already amazing B-1,” said Col. Marilyn Kott, 379th Expeditionary Operations Group commander. “It increases the speed and accuracy with which the aircrew and the [joint tactical air controllers] can execute the fi nd-fi x-track-target portion of the kill chain. “Our enemies now have even less opportunity to avoid us, less opportunity to get away and less opportunity to continue their efforts against the populations of Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “We’re honored to help bring Sniper to another aircraft in the AOR and to help realize the culmination of years of work by many people. We’re glad to have the opportunity to employ it now in this very critical fi ght that our Coalition is waging.”
Feature From the main line to the flightline By Master Sgt. Jeff Loftin 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs From the main line to the fl ightline the mission relies on the menu. It held true for Napoleon and his army and it still holds true at this modern Southwest Asia air base. Forty-eight military members and 230 contract employees man fi ve dining facilities here to provide sustenance for those serving their nation. “If people don’t have fuel to do the job they are not going to be able to maintain their mission,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Bailey, Independence Dining Facility manager and assistant food service manager. “The meals also make or break morale. If people are well fed, both nutritionally and with items they like, they tend to perform better in their duty section.” The dining facilities here serve between 21,000 and 24,000 meals each day – one of the Air Force’s largest food service operations. “Only Lackland Air Force Base [Texas] has a larger food operation than we do,” said Master Sgt. Grace Regpala, 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron food service manager. “We are the largest food operation in the area of responsibility.” The dining facilities here not only serve more meals to more people, they can also boast the sun never sets on their service. “We also have the only 24 hour food operation in the Air Force,” said the Philippines native. “There are fl ight kitchens open 24 hours, but we have the only dining facility open around the clock.” Large, around-the-clock operations aren’t always better, but servicemembers here seem to be happy with this one. “The majority of the feedback is positive,” said Sergeant Bailey, deployed here from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. “You are always going to have some kind of suggestion or recommendation for the menu or how something is prepared, but overall it’s pretty positive.” Behind every good feedback there is a team ensuring every aspect of quality control. “The primary job of the military personnel is to quality check the contractors who are charged with cooking and providing the meals,” said Sergeant Bailey. “The inspectors are in there with the food service staff making sure they’re doing the temperature checks and ensuring they prepare the food in accordance with the Air Force recipe card system. Sometimes they even step in and help out.” Long before an employee can begin preparing a meal, the menu must be planned and the supplies ordered. “The managers plan out a 28-day menu cycle,” said the Albuquerque, N.M., native. “Within that you have your main line, snack line, deserts, pastries and salads. We also have 94 specialty items we put out each week. We base everything off the Air Force recipe card system, which lists out what we need exactly [for each dish]. We make calculations from that and forecast the rations required. From there, we order them through the rations warehouse. They, in turn, order the food through the local prime vendor, which gets the rations to the base.” There are usually plenty of miles on the meals before they make the table. “All our food comes from the United States with the exception of the milk and juices,” said Sergeant Regpala. “If we want an item added [to the list] it’s a long process. It takes anywhere from three to six months.” Senior Airman Adrian Mitchell, 379th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron store room clerk, checks the expiration dates of milk in a dining facility here Aug. 5. Airman Mitchell, from Atlanta, Ga., is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Darnell Cannady) The ingredients for one new initiative have made it through the system and are now pleasing palettes here. “At the Blachford Preston Complex Dining Facility we started a new pizza bar,” said Sergeant Bailey. “It has been a really big hit. As a matter of fact, some of the other managers say they can see a drop in the numbers served on the nights they serve pizza at the BPC.” Servicemembers here will also be dining in some new facilities soon. “A new Independence dining facility is tentatively scheduled to open Dec. 1,” said Sergeant Regpala. “A new state-of-the-art fl ightline kitchen is also scheduled to take the place of the Graband-Go in October.” In the end, new facilities and initiatives only go so far in taking the mission from the main line to the fl ightline. “It takes the entire food service team to come together to make it happen,” said Sergeant Bailey. “Every job, whether it’s the people in the store room, the rations people getting the food or the trash guy taking the trash out, everybody comes together to make the mission work.” Aug. 10, 2008 5 Desert Eagle
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