Strike Eagle pilot sharpens skills during Razor Talon

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Aaron J. Jenne
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  First Lt. Kevin Fogler, 335th Fighter Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, eagerly suited up on Sept. 5 just like he would for any other sortie, but this was anything from an ordinary training mission.

Excitement mounted as he attended his pre-flight briefing, ascertaining the tactical objectives of the mission.

He visualized his goals as he stepped to his jet. This would be the first time he participated in Razor Talon, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's premier training exercise.

"As a pilot, I train all the time," Fogler said. "When you have an opportunity like this to integrate with a wide variety of aircraft, it really broadens your perspective. I enjoy learning things from other people's point of view, seeing how they do what they do and what they bring to the fight."

Razor Talon is a Seymour Johnson AFB home-grown monthly low-cost, large-force training opportunity for joint East Coast tactical and support aviation units.

"This exercise provides a safe environment to train joint and combined warriors, using training battlespace available in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, to ensure they are prepared for operational challenges they are likely to face during a contingency," said Lt. Col. Jason Watson, 4th Operations Support Squadron assistant director of operations and chief of Razor Talon. "With the likelihood of future warfare in a joint maritime employment, Razor Talon has become a much needed training platform ensuring air-sea superiority."

Fourteen Strike Eagles assigned to Seymour Johnson AFB joined 33 aircraft from several installations on the East Coast including Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

"Razor Talon is a culmination of all the training we do every day," Fogler said. "It's an even more dynamic environment than we're used to flying in. There's a lot of radio communication, and there is a lot to keep track of. You have to build a 3-D picture in your brain so you know where everybody is. This is where constant communication with wingmen is important to maintain as much situational awareness as possible."

During the exercise, Fogler participated in multiple skirmishes over the Atlantic Ocean. Strike Eagles flew with aircraft from different service branches, each reaching tactical objectives using different approaches best suited to their aircraft. At the end of the day, land, sea and air forces fought together to achieve Total Force mission success, Watson said.

Fogler said Razor Talon helped him see the bigger tactical picture.

"If I just flew with F-15s every day, I wouldn't have a very good grasp of how we actually accomplish goals as an Air Force," he said. "Our role is only one part of the overall mission we are expected to achieve. Together we truly are the world's greatest Air Force."

While this was Fogler's first time participating in Razor Talon, it was not his first time participating in a joint-force exercise.

"I had the privilege of flying at Red Flag," he said. "It was difficult trying to keep track of everything that was going on in the air, but I learned to rely on and trust my wingmen even more. The lessons I learned there helped me perform better at Razor Talon, and I expect what I learned here will help me in the future."