A munition's guiding light

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brittain Crolley
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
STUMPY POINT, N.C. --  When employing airpower down range, multiple units must work as a cohesive team to make certain the aircraft is properly equipped to successfully complete its mission. Maintainers, logistics, munitions and aircrew all must communicate with each other inside the wire prior to take off.

Outside the wire, in order to employ successful airpower, aircrew members communicate with Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) on the ground to eliminate threats and save lives.

To ensure seamless transition when lives are at stake, aircrew from the 335th and 336th Fighter Squadrons along with JTACs assigned to the 15th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Stewart, Ga., recently performed joint close air support (CAS) training to eliminate simulated targets at the Dare County Bomb Range in Stumpy Point, N.C.

In the heat of battle, when time is of the essence, JTACs must be able to direct multiple aircraft, set precise coordinates for targets, and clearly communicate information to aircrew all while under enemy fire.

According to 1st Lt. Nathan Maxton, 15th ASOS air liaison officer, communication during CAS missions is crucial for aircrew and JTACs. Being able to discuss the different perspectives from ground and air allows for a better overall picture of the battlefield and gives ground troops more fire power to get out of perilous situations.

The training aircrew and JTACs receive during the exercises provides both parties the opportunity to practice multiple combat scenarios that can be translated into real-world situations. It is through constant and rigorous training that aircrew and JTACs gain the confidence and capability to ensure airpower is deployed when and where it is needed.

"[The training] allows us to test our capabilities to coordinate with aircraft and provide terminal guidance of munitions on the battlefield," said Staff Sgt. Robert Carrington, 15th ASOS JTAC. "It helps us maintain our proficiency and makes us faster and more effective at taking out hostile targets."

During these scenarios, JTACs must communicate with multiple aircraft to take out a variety of targets, from hostile buildings to bunkered snipers to mobile ground troops. The aircrew also practices non-lethal tactics such as a show of force, which requires flying at low altitudes to intimidate the opposing forces. According to Nadeau, the practice situations give aircrew experience and the ability to handle different missions, such as over watch and convoy escorts, special operations and troops-in-contact situations.

"The most important thing is when we have a troops-in-contact situation, where the enemy is bearing down on or shooting at our troops," Nadeau said. "It's imperative that we get there as quickly as we can, find out where the enemy is and then suppress them."

On the other end of radio, JTACs have the responsibility of communicating clear and precise commands to successfully direct aircraft to destroy targets during CAS missions.

Since JTACs can be responsible for several aircraft at a time, they use the help of a radio operator, maintainer and driver (ROMAD) to spot aircraft and targets and maintain an organized airspace. Although they share the same skill sets, ROMADs are not yet fully-qualified and therefore cannot give the command to finalize the aircraft to drop their ordnance on a target.

However, simply communicating with ground commanders and aircrew is not why the Air Force classifies being a JTAC as a hazardous duty. Making accurate measurements and calculations for coordinates and the blast radiuses of different munitions in time-sensitive and stressful situations can be the difference between eliminating a threat and being one.

Carrington credits the training and mentorship he has received throughout his career for keeping him alive during a recent deployment. His team overtook a hostile building, but the enemy quickly tried to regain it back. Despite being under heavy fire, he said, they were able to maneuver aircraft to drop five, 500-pound bombs and thwart the enemy's retaliation.

"It puts a lot of things in perspective when you've been down range and put your training to work," said Carrington. "You have to be fully ready to handle a lot mentally to get the job done and to keep your team alive."