4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Airman 1st Class Justin Kannenberg, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, monitors an F-15E Strike Eagle from inside the cockpit as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The exercise identified several issues and choke points that maintenance crews can correct for future events. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Airman 1st Class Justin Morgan, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons technician, attaches a hose to a piece of aerospace ground equipment as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The exercise evaluated the wing’s ability to prepare and launch aircraft anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Capt. Bill Slater, 336th Fighter Squadron pilot, checks a maintenance log for an F-15E Strike Eagle as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Maintenance and aircrew professionals performed a “cold check" on a dozen aircraft to ensure they were ready for launch the following day. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

First Lt. Desmond Ross, 336th Fighter Squadron weapons systems officer, performs a cold check as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The 12 aircraft that were generated during the exercise will be players in a two-week long, air-to-air exercise at Tyndall AFB, Florida, known as Combat Archer. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Airman 1st Class Joshua Sprinkle, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, checks the gauges on a hydraulic reservoir as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Maintenance crews met the commander’s intent for the exercise by generating a dozen TDY-ready aircraft, all of which cleared the inspection team’s assessment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Airman 1st Class Joshua Sprinkle, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, talks to another crew chief while monitoring gauges on a piece of aerospace ground equipment as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Generation exercises allow the wing to identify issues or stress points before being tasked with a real world mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Senior Airman Ashley Irelan, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, works on the tail hook of an F-15E Strike Eagle as part of a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise, Sept. 10, 2015, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Generation exercises not only allow veteran maintenance crews to put their knowledge to the test, but allow new Airmen to become familiar with processes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Shawna L. Keyes)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res

4th FW Airmen participate in 9th AF aircraft generation exercise

Published Oct. 7, 2015
By Airman Shawna L. Keyes
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- More than 125 maintenance Airmen and 12 F-15E Strike Eagles from the 336th Fighter Squadron, and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron participated in a 9th Air Force aircraft generation exercise in preparation for Combat Archer.

Part of the 9th AF effort, including Combat Archer, is to evaluate the 4th Fighter Wing's readiness to deploy at a moment's notice and test the wing's ability to prep and launch aircraft anywhere in the world in order to support real-world missions.

"This type of exercise is important because it prepares us for real world taskings and deployments," said 1st Lt. Bethany Gross, 4th AMXS assistant officer in charge. "It allows us to identify issues or stress points now, so we can correct the issues and plan adequately for known choke points before we are tasked with a real world mission."

Weapons system planners use the exercise to verify system performance, capabilities and limitations while giving aircrews the chance to practice realistic air-to-air combat training. Aircrew also got the opportunity to have air-to-air combat training with F-22 Raptors and F-15C Eagles that participated in the two-week exercise.

"The Seymour Johnson AFB team took part in the 9th Air Force-wide Aircraft Generation Exercise by generating 12 combat ready F-15Es in less than 12 hours," said Col. Mark Slocum, 4th FW commander. "This exercise allowed us to stress the system and test the F-15E combat generation capabilities of our maintenance professionals in order to identify critical shortfalls in manning and spare parts. This valuable maintenance and logistics training, and resulting shortfall identification, will directly increase combat readiness of the 4th FW and 9th AF."