Airmen strut their stuff for civilian leaders
by Terri Lukach
American Forces Press Service
4/28/2005 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- As part of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, a weeklong tour of military installations for top civic and community leaders nationwide, the 347th Rescue Wing pulled out all stops April 26 for the visiting group of civic leaders.
The tour highlights the latest U.S. military equipment and technology, and acquaints civilian leaders with the missions and people of America's armed forces. The 347th RW here is the only active-duty combat-search-and-rescue wing in the U.S. Air Force.
Conference participants learned firsthand about some of the most advanced air-power platforms in the world by the people who operate them, and they were able to see and participate in demonstrations of their power and capabilities.
Training programs here take recruits and set them on a path to flying some of the most advanced warplanes in America's arsenal. The base falls under Air Force Special Operations Command.
The day began with a demonstration of the speed and agility of the Air Force's primary flight trainer, the T-6A Texan II. To the driving beat of rock music and Air Force announcer 1st Lt. Mike Gosma, conference participants watched in awe as the plane swooped, dived and executed precision 360-degree barrel rolls just minutes after takeoff.
The Texan II can climb to 18,000 feet in less than six minutes and land on less than 2,000 feet of runway. It is also a highly efficient aircraft that can fly more than 800 miles on one tank of fuel. The feature is a great aid to training student pilots, as the ability to repeat maneuvers over and over is crucial in the training arena, Lieutenant Gosma said.
He also said the aircraft's avionics are state of the art. More than 200 new Air Force pilots are trained each year here, officials said. After the Texan II, pilots continue to train on more demanding aircraft such as the T-38 Talon, the T-1A Jayhawk, the UH-1 Huey helicopter and the T-44 Pegasus, which is flown in joint training with the Navy.
The air show, performed by the East Coast Demonstration Team, was designed to give the conference participants some insight into the capabilities of the T-6A as well as the maneuvers all students learn in pilot training.
"The responsiveness, simplicity, endurance and cockpit comfort of the Texan II enables it to do its job efficiently and effectively, giving our country the most respected military pilots in the world,” Lieutenant Gosma said. "It is a superb training platform."
Besides the air show performance, conference participants inspected some other stars in the Air Force inventory, including many that are winning the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq.
On display at the airfield were a B-2 Spirit, B-1B Lancer, F/A-22 Raptor, F-15E Strike Eagles, AC-130 gunship, A-10 Thunderbolt II and an E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft. Some, like the B-1 bomber, were flown in especially for the visit.
Later in the day, participants scrambled into open vehicles for a true-to-life demonstration that eerily echoed the daily news. As the convoy slowed down to contend with a vehicle stopped in the road -- a common tactic used by insurgents in Iraq -- the "enemy" took advantage and initiated an attack detonating two improvised explosive devices, followed by small-arms fire.
Security forces Airmen immediately engaged and suppressed the enemy while another security vehicle positioned itself to become a "sweeping element" to clear and destroy the enemy. Other vehicles deployed to secure the nonattack side of the area, while Airmen deployed brightly colored smoke to conceal their movements as the area was swept for other insurgents. Five "enemy combatants" were killed, several wounded and two captured in the simulated attack.
Another demonstration involving special operations forces simulated the seizure of a strategic airfield in enemy territory. Complicating the mission was a small enemy force in the vicinity of the targeted airfield.
The simulation included maneuvers involving an MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft, which is used for special operations missions; an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter; and an F-15; as well as a quick-reaction special operations unit, combat controllers, pararescuemen, air refueling and other demonstrations of Air Force weapons systems and capabilities.
"Way up on the 'wow meter,'" was the way conference participant William Young put it. |
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