US Air Force,
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska: KC-135 Stratotankers, aircrews and maintainers are providing air refueling support to aircraft from Alaska's Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force Bases to ensure Red Flag-Alaska meets its training goals.
More than 1,400 military members from the United States, Singapore and Australia are in Alaska to sharpen their collective warfighting edge in Red Flag-Alaska 07-2, which began May 31 and runs through June 15.
Airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., and MacDill AFB, Fla., are supporting the KC-135 mission to refuel aircraft during the exercise, while the Tanker Task Force plans the overall execution of day-to-day missions.
Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S. forces and allies, provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction, close-air support and large-force employment training in a simulated combat environment.
“Wars don't happen without fuel,” said Capt. Rod Brown, Tanker Task Force operations officer. “The tankers increase the legs of our teammates. These missions wouldn't be possible without the integration of tankers.”
Captain Brown, deployed from the 906th Air Refueling Squadron at Grand Forks AFB, compares Red Flag with a real-time war environment.
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A KC-135R Stratotanker flies in formation with two A-10 Warthog IIs from the 355th Fighter Squadron May 29 near Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The three aircraft assigned to Eielson AFB flew in formation for the last time due to the deactivation of the 355th FS and 18th FS. The tanker is assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Air Refueling Wing. The KC-135R along with tankers from Grand Forks AFB, N.D., and MacDill AFB, Fla., are providing air refueling support to aircraft for the joint exercise Red Flag-Alaska, lasting through June 8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Rob Wieland)
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“We're working closely with the fighters and the bombers,” he said. “During the planning stages, we have to make sure we're on the same sheet of music with the other exercise players.”
Red Flag-Alaska provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction, close air support, and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment. The Tanker Task Force crews are prepared to refuel the Marine EA-6s using a drogue as well as regular boom connections with Air Force aircraft, including F-16s from Singapore.
“Because of real-world deployments, we've seen just about every airframe we've got out there,” said Staff Sgt. Nathan Gibbs, a boom operator deployed from the 906th ARS. “But this exercise is a good training opportunity for our allies.”
The training opportunity also extends to the maintainers who keep the KC-135s mission ready.
“This deployment gives the younger Airmen a feel for the operations tempo in a deployed environment,” said Master Sgt. Gary Warner, deployed from the 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Grand Forks AFB. “It gets you in the right mind set and you look at how you can make improvements.”
The Tanker Task Force helps every participant through planning and executing the day-to-day mission. Fuel is the lifeblood of any Air Force operation and the Tanker Task Force provides a critical supply during Red Flag-Alaska exercises. Their involvement keeps Red Flag-Alaska flying.
