Wolf Pack Airmen take on Distant Frontier, Red Flag Alaska

  • Published
  • By Capt. Shannon Collins
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Ammunition experts build "live" missiles and look on as weapons load crew members quickly mount them onto the F-16. The crewchief performs one last inspection, ensuring everything on his jet is good-to-go, no unturned screws, missing panels or leaking. The flaps and engine are functional. He directs the pilot out of the hardened shelter and salutes as the pilot leads the jet to the end of runway, where the pins in the missiles will be pulled, readying them for combat. The pilot takes off and weaves his Fighting Falcon in and out of the mountain range, looking for his prey. The air control tower negotiates air space with the Falcon, along with the B-52s, F-15s, A-10s and more. This could be Alaska. This could be Afghanistan. This is combat. 

Approximately 180 Airmen with the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, deployed to Eielson Air Base, Alaska, Sept. 16-18, to conduct month-long training during exercise Final Frontier and Red Flag. 

During the two exercises, pilots with the 35th Fighter Squadron "Pantons" will train with other platforms to prepare for combat. While some of the more tenured pilots have flown combat missions already in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of the newer pilots are stepping up to train for their first real-world combat sorties. 

1st Lt. Mike Mickus, an F-16 wingman with the 35th FS, deployed for his first time to Red Flag. He's been flying the F-16 since 2008. He was excited to take on this training mission. 

"While training with my squadron on a day-to-day basis is a great way to build the fundamentals, it's hard for a single squadron to replicate the training required to be proficient in a large scale air conflict," he said. "Red Flag training is so important because it's able to create the many intricacies of an air war, including working with dissimilar airframes and pilots from countries with weapons systems some may only have book knowledge of before they arrive." 

Capt. Jason Monaco, 35th FS B Flight commander, deployed to Red Flag Nellis in 2007 but is experiencing Red Flag Alaska for the first time. With four years in the F-16, he echoes Lieutenant Mickus' sentiment. 

"The weather and bigger air space make RFA different from Nellis, and it's different from normal ops at Kunsan, due to the large force multi-national employment we don't see every day," he said. "It's important as a fighter pilot to get to train like we'd fight. It's designed to provide the most realistic training to prepare for real-world combat missions." 

This realistic training consists of Distant Frontier, a weapons training deployment where pilots drop live and inert heavyweight munitions, and Red Flag Alaska, where each pilot gets "First 10 Missions" combat preparation and works with multi-asset large force employments. An Air Force analysis of operations during the Vietnam War showed that a pilot's chances of survival in combat dramatically increased after he had completed 10 combat missions. Red Flag was created in 1975 to offer U.S. pilots the opportunity to fly 10 realistically-simulated combat missions in a safe training environment with measurable results.  

"Red Flag was created to help pilots experience the pace and stress of combat in realistic training scenarios to learn what it's like to be in combat," said Lt. Col. Dan Czupka, 35th FS commander, who's been with the Air Force more than 20 years.  "It also tests the maintainers, ammunitions Airmen and logisticians in generating sorties and getting us to and from the fight." 

Approximately 140 maintenance Airmen from the Wolf Pack took on the challenge of generating sorties during the training. 

The training is imperative, said Master Sgt. Bryan Saucke, 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Unit acting first sergeant. 

"With the ever evolving political climate, it's imperative to train in multiple environments to ensure our air power is ready to deploy at a moment's notice, anywhere in the world, to sustain both humanitarian and wartime taskings." 

Deploying at a moment's notice is just one of the reasons why these Airmen train at Red Flag Alaska. For Senior Master Sgt. Richard Wood, 8th AMXS, 35th AMU, this exercise gives his Airmen the chance to showcase their weapons loading skills. 

"We load a variety of munitions to validate what munitions are needed during each mission to enhance the pilots' combat capabilities," he said. 

Sergeant Wood's been in the Air Force for more than 23 years, with eight of those years focused on the F-16. He deployed to Red Flag in Nellis 10 times throughout his career and deployed previously with the Wolf Pack in 1998. 

He said the importance of continuing training in Alaska remains because "of the short distance between the U.S. and potential adversaries" in today's global capabilities. 

"It sharpens our warfighting capabilities and requires a constant flow of communication by all of the Air Force specialties," he said. He said the success of the training comes down to communication. 

"The communication required between ops, ammo and weapons must be on point to allow munitions to be delivered and loaded prior to each flight," the weapons section superintendent said. "Our goal as a weapons section is a 100 percent gun fire rate and a 100 percent munitions release rate." 

Though weapons team chief Staff Sgt. Lissa Quick, 8th AMXS, 35th AMU, has spent nine years with the F-16, this is her first deployment to Alaska. 

"Red Flag gives us experience," she said. "It gives us experience of a deployed environment, different flying and maintenance conditions, and an opportunity for us to expand our strengths and weaknesses along the way. It's a learning experience for all involved. We learn what we can do for the future to ensure a smoother and more successful 'win' in future wars." 

The greatest sense of pride for the weapons loaders is seeing the aircraft come back "empty." 

"The mission here just allows the mechanics and loaders on the ground a sense of pride with the mission," said Staff Sgt. Bradley Davis, 8th AMXS. "Having our aircraft leave the ground with live munitions and seeing them come back without them lets us know that we are making an impact on the mission." 

Whether it's the weapons loader arming the F-16 or the fresh-out-of-initial training pilot taking on increased responsibilities and training, the Wolf Pack members communicate and come together to make the mission happen in case the Wolf Pack has to take the fight North. 

"During this training, we will successfully and safely increase our ability to survive the opening days of any conflict to be able to help the base exercise the ability to accept follow on forces," said Colonel Czupka, an 18-year F-16 pilot who's been with the Wolf Pack three times throughout his career. 

"Our objectives are to safely deploy and redeploy our aircraft and personnel and exercise the Wolf Pack to accept follow on forces," he said. "While at Eielson, the pilots, maintainers and support personnel will train for combat with safe and successful weapons loading and employment operations. Our goal is to exceed an 82 percent mission capable rate and less than a six percent abort rate, and achieve a 100 percent weapon release rate with zero mishaps or work-related incidents. By doing this, we will provide each pilot the 'First 10 Mission' sorties, upgrade four new mission commanders and increase the lethality of the Wolf Pack." 

The pilots and maintainers take on these objectives each day during Distant Frontier and Red Flag Alaska. As the pilots navigate the air space while sharing it with multiple platforms, they narrow in on their targets and engage. The weapons loaders stand by, hoping to see their jets come back "empty," to see their impact on the mission. The maintainers wait for their jets to return, standing by with their technical orders to check over panels, flaps, the engine, the oil and more. They have to ensure the F-16s are ready for "war."