Afghanistan: When the Moon Sets, Watch Out

Courtesy Michael Yon Online Magazine

Last Friday night, the moon phase left Afghanistan in near total darkness. Even with clear skies, the enemy knew that at the brightest moment, the moon would only appear as an irrelevant orange sliver. Such times are called “red illumination,” or “red illum.” Planning calendars in Afghanistan highlight periods of red illum because they hamper aviation.

Even though this is the year 2012, and the Curiosity Rover is beaming images from Mars more than four decades after astronauts first trod on the lunar surface, the moon phase remains important when planning operations. The moment that the nighttime attack on Camp Bastion was reported, the moon phase could have been safely guessed without looking up.

In every respect, Southern Afghanistan is a dark part of the world. Without moonlight, most villages are black at night. The brightest places in the country are our bases. Cultural lights present little danger to Taliban moving at night. Our air assets, including our aerostat balloons, are often their biggest concern.

This war is mature. The enemy knows us, and we know them. After 11 years, the Taliban realizes that most helicopter traffic ceases during red illum. Most birds will only fly for urgent MEDEVAC, or for special operations. The enemy closely observes our air traffic. Operations slow under red illum, so air traffic declines, and the chances of being spotted by roving aircraft are reduced.

There is a misconception that UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) such as Predators can detect everything. They cannot. Their field of vision is like looking through a toilet paper roll. The UAVs are great for specific targets, such as watching a house, but imagine patrolling. It is like trying to visually swat mosquitoes using no ears, no sense of touch, and only the ability to look through a toilet paper roll. You will get some, and miss many.

We only have enough UAVs to cover small splotches of the country, and there are bases, roads, operations, and targets spread throughout Afghanistan and elsewhere that need watching. The enemy can spoof observers by using a “pattern of life” (POL) for camouflage. So even if our UAV operators see apparently unarmed natives moving, it is no guarantee of early detection.

Our UAVs over Afghanistan fly with their strobes flashing to avoid collisions. If a Predator or Reaper crashes into a commercial airliner because it was flying blacked out while staring at the ground, that is a problem. The enemy can see our UAVs from miles away.

A key realization: the enemy uses cheap night vision gear in the form of cameras that have night functions. When our IR lasers, our IR strobes, our IR illumination or our IR spotlights are radiating, they can easily be seen using cheap digital cameras. I recently told this to some Norwegian soldiers, who were as surprised as our soldiers to learn it. I learned this from the enemy, not from our guys. The Taliban even use smart phone cameras to watch for invisible lasers. The enemy in Afghanistan has been caught using cameras for night vision. It is just a stroke of common sense: I have been doing it for eight years since I noticed an IR laser one night in Iraq.

A Norwegian trooper explained that one dark night in Afghanistan, they got ambushed with accurate but distant machinegun fire. When they turned off their IR strobes, the fire ended. When they turned the IR strobes back on, the fires resumed. When they turned them off for good, it was over.

Many of our people believe that the enemy does not use night vision. There was a time when this was true, but the war has matured and this is now false. If your firefly is strobing on your helmet, or if you are carrying a cracked IR chemlight, do not be surprised if you take accurate fire during a black night. When JTACs mark targets with IR lasers, or when aircraft such as Predators lase for Hellfire shots or for target ID, they look like purple or green sunbeams through night vision optics and they are crazy bright. You cannot miss them.

To maximize chances of success for an assault such as that at Bastion last Friday, the Taliban know that it is best to start early, on a moonless night, just after red illum has begun. Other Afghans engaged in normal masking movements can provide POL camouflage. The enemy knows that only “Terry Taliban” is skulking around after midnight, so they start early when possible.

By 7PM last Friday, the night was very dark, and by 8PM, it was thick and black, making it a perfect time to close in on the target. Camp Bastion would appear lit up like Las Vegas, standing alone, glowing like a giant bubble of light in the “Desert of Death.” On the darkest nights, the lights of Bastion sometimes reflect orange off the clouds above, and they can be seen for miles around, causing Afghans to ask why the base glows like the morning sun, yet they do not have a drop of electricity. The days of goodwill and hope are over.

During periods of utter darkness, many of our light-intensifying systems are useless. There is not enough light for them to work with, which is why many aircraft do not fly during red illum. This also affects ground troops whose systems likewise do not have enough light to intensify, and it reduces their air cover, and thus all air and ground operations.

Last Friday was dark without infrared spotlights, or IR illumination fired from cannons and mortars. It is not always a good idea to fire those around major airbases. And besides, the spotlights and illum rounds have limitations and cannot see around contours. Thermal imagers work during complete darkness but they cannot see into hidden gullies. Ground surveillance radar (GSR) and other sensors are of limited use, especially when the enemy uses masking POL. All of these systems work together, and they can be helpful, but they can be foiled through experience and subterfuge, especially when our forces are complacent in the armored cocoons of the mega-bases.

Camp Bastion is set far back in the desert as a security precaution. Approaches can be seen for miles. Consulting Google Earth and other imagery might lead you to believe that there is no approach that cannot be observed. This is true when the air assets are up, and it is true up close whether the aerial surveillance platforms are up or not. But the desert is not flat like a billiard table. We all know what water and wind can do to terrain. The surface is closer to a waffle than to a pancake.

I scouted around Camp Bastion more than six years ago, before the camp was up and running, and since that time I have flown low-level there on many occasions. Many ripples and folds provide cover from direct observation from the base perimeter. The micro-terrain might not be obvious from Google Earth or from maps, but there are dead-space approaches that locals can use. Afghans have long been expert at traveling unseen in what appears to be wide-open territory. This is one of their strengths, and it has been described in accounts of war after war. Just as navies can hide in the open seas, Afghans can hide in treeless deserts, unless aircraft or roving patrols detect them.

The Taliban’s major vulnerability is our mastery of the air, but if they can negate it, we are approaching tactical equality because they have home turf advantage, and they have lived there since antiquity. Local Afghans have had six-years since Bastion was built to map ingress and egress routes, and to probe ISAF defenses and reactions.

This morning, four days after the attack, ISAF HQ in Kabul announced that they had arrested one of the Taliban leaders behind Friday’s attack. According to ISAF, they nabbed him in Nad ‘Ali district. This district is a green zone about sixteen miles from Camp Bastion. Some of the closest built-up areas contiguous to Nad ‘Ali are just a handful of miles away from Camp Bastion. If the enemy were coming to shoot rockets or mortars at Bastion with the intention of escaping, the hazard would be high, depending on ISAF rules of engagement. But attackers who are prepared for a one-way trip have demonstrated that they can achieve success.

Last Friday, a few hours after sunset, the Taliban struck at about 10PM. They killed two US Marines, one of them a commanding officer, and they wiped out roughly 8 percent of our Harrier jet force. Harriers are no longer manufactured, so these aircraft cannot be replaced. Scratch one squadron, and now the military must reallocate aircraft to cover the deficit.

The enemy fooled all of our high-tech gadgetry with training, observation, intelligence, terrain, planning, rehearsal, and audacity, using basic military tactics that were perfected long before anyone reading this was born. Persistence and luck was also a key factor: the Taliban have attempted similar attacks at different bases in the past with poor results. The Taliban only have to be lucky once. We have to be lucky all of the time.

The Taliban destroyed six jets, damaged two more possibly beyond repair, leaving Marine VMA-211 squadron with only two aircraft, and they killed the squadron commander.

All of this by Taliban who likely never served in any military. If they did serve, they joined up, they got some good training, and then they put it to use.

Enterprise, CVW-1 Support Operation Enduring Freedom

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steve Smith, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 began flying combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), May 1.

Through these missions, the Navy and Marine Corps squadrons aboard Enterprise are providing direct support to coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan.

The missions include close-air support, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and airborne command and control.

In Afghanistan, these missions degrade terrorist activities, diminish Taliban influence and improve security, which leads to stability and economic prosperity.

CVW-1 spent months preparing for these missions, and is ready to join coalition forces in the region.

Enterprise joins the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in the region. Thus far, Abraham Lincoln has flown more than 1,400 sorties, totaling more than 8,700 flight hours in support of coalition efforts in Afghanistan, according to the Lincoln's Public Affairs Office.

Over the course of May 1, their first day supporting OEF, CVW-1 aircraft flew 29 sorties.

According to Capt. Jeffrey Trent, commander, CVW-1, the number of sorties flown on the first day will be the standard throughout much of the time CVW-1 is supporting OEF.

"That will be a very standard number," said Trent. "This is a marathon. We're going to be here for a number of months, and we're in it for the long haul, and getting jets on and off the deck is no easy task."

Accomplishing this task falls on the shoulders of the Sailors and Marines working aboard Enterprise every day.

"It's not just the airplanes flying. It's the Sailors and Marines working on the flight deck; it's the men and women working in the engineering plant, and those working everywhere in between, that support this mission," said Trent.

Enterprise should fly approximately 170 OEF sorties per week.

Commander U.S. 5th Fleet reported U.S. Navy aircraft have averaged about 5,000 close-air support missions per year in support of OEF, since 2009. As they did in 2011, Enterprise and CVW-1 will directly contribute to that total in 2012. During last year's deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Enterprise and CVW-1 supported OEF with a total of 1,450 combat sorties.

"During this deployment we get to capitalize on all the experience gained last year," said Trent. "However, training is happening every flight and every event improves overall readiness."

Enterprise and CVW-1 will not be the only Navy assets supporting operations in Afghanistan during the carrier's final deployment. Sailors serve throughout all 34 Afghan provinces and in the six Navy-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), promoting governance, enhancing security and aiding in reconstruction efforts.

CVW-1 is comprised of the "Red Rippers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, the "Checkmates" of VFA 211, the "Knighthawks" of VFA 136, the "Thunderbolts" of Marine Attack Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 251, the "Rooks" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137, the "Screwtops" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, and the "Dragonslayers" of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 11.

Enterprise is deployed on its 22nd and final deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, conducting maritime security operation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

DOD Identifies Unit for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

The Department of Defense announced today one Army brigade combat team to deploy as part of the upcoming rotation of forces operating in Afghanistan. The scheduled early Winter 2012 rotation involves nearly 3,900 soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan Rotation

The Department of Defense today identified three major units to deploy as part of the upcoming rotation of forces operating in Afghanistan. The Spring 2012 scheduled rotation involves one brigade combat team headquarters with more than 70 personnel; one brigade combat team with more than 3,600 personnel; and a combat aviation brigade with more than 2,400 personnel to include:

Headquarters unit: 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Headquarters, Indiana Army National Guard

Brigade Combat Team and Combat Aviation Brigade: 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy and the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Katterbach, Germany.

NCR 22 Assumes Authority in CENTCOM AOR; Operations Begin

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jason Carter, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (NNS) -- The 30th Naval Construction Regiment (NCR), Task Force Forager, transitioned to the 22nd NCR, Task Force Stethem, during a transfer of authority (TOA) ceremony, Feb. 16, 2012, on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

The 30th NCR, from Port Hueneme, Calif., served as the command and control element for Task Force Forager, which was responsible for construction engineering and engineering support in Southern, Southwestern and Western Afghanistan.

The TOA's officiating officer, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William E. Rapp, deputy commanding general for Support, commended the task force for its many successes during its six-month deployment.

"You need to be extremely proud of your accomplishments," Rapp said.

Task Force Forager and 30th NCR Chief Staff Officer, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Erik Karlson, said the task force did an amazing job supporting the mission in Afghanistan and the Afghan people, and thanked all of his subordinate commands for their hard work.

"It has been an absolute honor to have served with you," Karlson said.

Task Force Forager performed numerous engineering missions such as water wells, which provided clean water for Afghan villages, placed and repaired bridges and partnered with Afghan military engineers to aid in the smooth transition to Afghan leadership.

U.S. Navy Capt. Kathryn A. Donovan, Task Force Stethem and 22nd NCR Commodore, said her team was honored to take over such an important mission from such a classy command.

"We are very excited to work with the coalition and our service partners," Donovan said.

The 22nd NCR, from Gulfport, Miss., was previously deployed to Afghanistan from February to August 2010. The regiment is made up of approximately 90 U.S. Navy Seabees and support staff.

Mobility Airmen take C-5M on first direct Arctic overflight to Afghanistan

by Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol, Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Fourteen mobility Airmen teamed together to fly a C-5M Super Galaxy on a direct, non-stop mission from Dover Air Force Base, Del., here June 5 and 6, 2011.

The flight was the first time a U.S. Air Force plane flew this northern route from the U.S., over Canada and into the Arctic Circle, then back down through Russian and Kazakhstan airspace to Afghanistan.

"Everyone involved with this mission worked very hard to make it happen," said Lt. Col. Thomas Loper, the pilot and aircraft commander for the mission. "We're also very proud to be a part of the historic mission."

U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command officials at Scott AFB, Ill., said the mission was a "proof-of-concept" flight that will help establish future sustainment operations in Afghanistan.

"Our mission is to provide the right effects, to the right place, at the right time through global reach, said Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., AMC commander. "This historic proof-of-concept flight is the embodiment of that mission. It provides a valuable new option that allows us to be effective to those we serve."

AMC's 618 Tanker Airlift Control Center planners at Scott AFB tasked and built the mission plans for the effort. It's part of TACC's continuing effort to support and control airlift and air refueling missions around the globe.

"This mission validates all the hard work TACC planners do every day,"
said Lt. Col. Matthew Ahern, a C-5 pilot with Dover AFB's 9th Airlift Squadron. Colonel Ahern was also a member of the aircrew for the mission.

AMC officials said the flight was a culmination of months of diplomatic efforts and operational planning, and further illustrates the military's commitment to finding innovative new ways to operate with increasingly constrained resources.

Maj. John Rozsnyai, a planner in USTRANSCOM operations at Scott AFB, said his command worked with the U.S. State Department, regional combatant commands, AMC, TACC and numerous other agencies to get this historic mission under way.

"This partnership was especially important in coordinating transit agreements with Russia and Kazakhstan," Major Rozsnyai said, "While civilian airlines have been using the airspace, this was the first time an AMC plane took this direct delivery route."

To make the entire 15-plus hour flight to Afghanistan, the C-5M was refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the New Hampshire Air National Guard 157th Air Refueling Wing at Pease Air National Guard Base. The refueling took place over northern Canada.

"It's cool to be a part of a mission like this," said Master Sgt. Sam Blackwell, an in-flight refueling craftsman from the 157th ARW, who refueled the C-5M to full capacity.

USTRANSCOM planners said this flight is just the beginning of understanding new ways to strengthen the northern corridor.

"There will most likely be other flights that will originate from the western U.S. and won't require the use of tankers," Major Rozsnyai said.

"This route used by the C-5M may also be useful for swap-outs of deployed tankers and crews and for redeploying troops. The benefit might also allow for quicker trips saving days at home for deploying Airmen as well as requiring less stops for aircraft."

The aircrew for the mission combined active-duty and Reserve Airmen.

DOD Identifies Units for Upcoming Afghanistan and Kuwait Rotation

The Department of Defense announced today the alert of two units to deploy as part of upcoming rotations of forces operating in Afghanistan and Kuwait. The scheduled rotation for these replacement forces will begin in early 2012.

The announcement involves two Army National Guard brigade combat teams totaling approximately 7,520 personnel.

Specific units:

27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New York National Guard

55th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Pennsylvania National Guard

The 27th IBCT is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan to perform security force assistance, and the 55th HBCT is scheduled to deploy to Kuwait to provide force protection and convoy security.

NMCB 3 Departs Camp Dwyer, Closes Chapter in Seabee History

By Lt. James R. Galloway, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Public Affairs

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan (NNS) -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 turned over construction operations in Camp Dwyer to the U.S. Air Force Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operational Squadron (RED HORSE) Jan. 15 and redeployed elsewhere throughout Afghanistan.

In May 2009, NMCB 5 expanded a Forward Operating Base into Camp Dwyer.

Since the creation of Camp Dwyer, there has been a NMCB at the camp to support the base with construction and engineering services. The turnover to RED HORSE marked the end of nearly two years of Seabee presence in Dwyer.

NMCB 3 arrived in November 2010 and made significant improvements to Camp Dwyer. Some of the improvements included the construction of two Southwest Asia (SWA) Huts, a new entry control point (ECP), munitions storage facility, weapons ranges and an expansion of the camp's overall perimeter.

The largest project constructed by the NMCB 3 Camp Dwyer team was a 32 foot by 124 foot SWA Hut, which will be utilized by the Marine Regimental Combat Team (MRCT) 1 for their operations in Southern Afghanistan.

"This project has been great," said Equipment Operator Constructionman Stacy Williams, a crew member for the project. "I have learned a lot about construction and have been able to see how the Seabees support the Marines and the impact that the Seabees have on their mission."

Another complex and challenging project was the construction of the new ECP for the camp. The ECP was the highest priority item for the Seabees. This project consisted of five independent structures. The ultimate impact was improved security for the camp's residents and increased operational efficiency for MRCT 1.

"The amount of determination and motivation these guys had was incredible," said Steelworker 1st Class (SCW) Dustin Sams, the project supervisor. "They consistently met their daily goals because they understood how important the project was, and its impact on the mission at Camp Dwyer."

In addition to the large jobs, the NMCB 3 team improved the quality of life for the Marines of Camp Dwyer through a variety of projects. These projects included constructing new shelves, book cases, pews for the local chapel, installation of new doors for supported commands and the design and construction of a camp fire pit.

"It was very rewarding to be able produce a something that people need and appreciate," said Construction Electrician 2nd Class Tiffany Stewart.

Camp life for the Seabees was not strictly centered on construction. In addition to all of the work, troops worked on their Seabee combat warfare specialist (SCWS) qualification, maintained and improved their physical fitness through training and team sports and progressed with their personal goals such as education.

"I appreciated the simplicity of being able to work hard each day and then relax in the evening with a game of volleyball or studying SCWS," said Builder Constructionman Apprentice Zachary Minniear.

As the Seabees of NMCB 3 leave Camp Dywer to take on other missions in Afghanistan, they can be proud of the impact that their hard work has had.

"The Seabees have provided a great service to the Marines aboard Camp Dwyer. They can be counted on to provide the highest quality construction support with timely results. They have performed in the true spirit of the Navy/Marine Corps team and will be missed," said Maj. Scott Gardiner, Camp Dwyer mayor.

NMCB 3 is an expeditionary element of U.S. Naval Forces providing construction, engineering and security services in support of national strategy, naval power projection, humanitarian assistance and contingency operations.

Warfighters to Get Improved 'Eyes in the Sky'

The Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance-Imaging System demonstrates is surveillance capabilities during a November 2009 test at Quantico, Va. Courtesy photo

By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - Warfighters in Afghanistan will get an unprecedented capability to track and monitor activity on the ground in the coming months with the initial deployment of a new ultra-high-resolution camera able to scan a wide field of view and download images in real time.

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, the Defense Department's high-tech research and development arm, is working with the Army to deploy its new Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance-Imaging System program during the first half of 2011, program manager Brian Leininger told American Forces Press Service.

The ARGUS-IS system, with an acronym that recalls the 100-eyed Greek mythological figure, will give ground troops a persistent "eyes in the sky" capability that improves their ability to identify and track targets of interest and enemy operatives.

The heart of the system is a 1.8-gigapixel color camera, the largest video sensor ever used to conduct tactical missions.

To provide a sense of just how high-resolution this sensor is, Leininger compared it to a standard cell phone camera. A cell phone image typically runs between 1 million and 2 million pixels. With ARGUS-IS, it's 900 to 1,800 times that number –- enough to track people and vehicles from altitudes above 20,000 feet.

But ARGUS-IS offers more than just high-resolution imagery. To be deployed on an A-160 "Hummingbird" unmanned aerial platform, it will be able to scan almost 25 square miles.

This represents a big technological leap over current airborne surveillance systems, Leininger said. Those that deliver high-resolution images are limited to very small fields of view, he explained, and those covering broader areas provide low-resolution imagery.

In addition, ARGUS-IS operators on the ground can designate "windows" around up to 65 specific sites or targets they want to monitor. They can choose buildings, road intersections or other fixed locations the system will "stare" at, or people or vehicles to trail –- even if they're moving in different directions.

"And if you have a bunch of people leaving a place at the same time, they no longer have to say, 'Do I follow vehicle one, two, three or four?'" Leininger said. "They can say, 'I will follow all of them, simultaneously and automatically.'"

ARGUS-IS's processing system compresses the massive amount of data collected to what's most valuable to warfighters, such as movement or changes on the ground. Then it transmits this data to operations centers and troops operating in the area in multiple, real-time video streams at the rate of 10 frames per second.

DARPA, working in partnership with the Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory and National Geospatial Agency, conducted its first test flights using the ARGUS system last year. For those tests, the system's sensor and airborne processing unit were slung in a pod under a special UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a fixed-wing DC-8 aircraft.

Now scientists are integrating the system into the Hummingbird platform, which can fly at up to 20,000 feet for 12 hours or more, for deployment to Afghanistan.

Even before ARGUS-IS reaches the field, DARPA already is looking ahead to the next step in its evolution. A contract awarded this past summer is funding a program to integrate an infrared capability that will enable the system to operate at night.

Leininger, who started the ARGUS-IS program just over three years ago, said the increased intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance capability the system will provide will help ground troops carry out their missions and save lives in the process.

"This is a very useable system that will provide an enormous [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] multiplier for the troops," he said. "It gives them a new and better way to see what is around them with a big eye in the sky."

Deployed air refueling unit helps fuel the Afghanistan surge

by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- Whether in support of airlift missions or combat operations, aircraft fuel delivered by members of the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron here is vital to the success of this surge.

The 908th EARS' KC-10 Extender aircrews deliver more than one million pounds of fuel in support of Afghanistan operations daily. That total is approximately 50 percent of the total amount of fuel distributed in the Afghanistan theater.

Using either an advanced aerial refueling boom or a hose and drogue centerline refueling system, the KC-10 can refuel a variety of U.S. and allied military aircraft within the same mission day or night. There are three main wing fuel tanks and three large fuel tanks under the cargo floor. Combined, the six tanks carry more than 356,000 pounds of fuel.

Lt. Col. Jimmy Shaw, the commander of the 908th EARS, said the Afghanistan missions are challenging. In particular, there are numerous communication difficulties due to the rugged terrain.

However, he said his aircrews are able to overcome the difficulties.

"The bottom line is they task us and we perform," he said. "It's rugged and it's difficult and you are not in friendly territory."

The squadron's aircraft perform more than 450 sorties monthly, the colonel said. In the past, aircrews spent 30 percent of their time deployed, but with the increased operations tempo, they now spend 70 percent of their time deployed.

Colonel Shaw said it is not rare for someone to be deployed three times in the same year, and the members of the 908th EARS are able to keep up the heavy tempo due largely to the flexibility and professionalism of the maintainers.

"They really have to jump through some impressive hoops sometimes," he said. "The fact that those guys can show up every day with a great attitude and continue doing the great things they do is amazing."

A symbiotic relationship between operations and maintenance is necessary for successful missions, said Capt. Thomas Fiordelisi, the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Extender Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge.

Even though they have been deploying at a heavy rate, they take pride in their work because they know it is for an important cause, he said.

"With the increased operations tempo our skilled maintainers are in heavy demand," Captain Fiordelisi said. "They love doing their job because they know they are contributing to something that is special."

Colonel Shaw said the high number of missions has his aircrews performing at their best.

He said he sleeps well at night knowing that the refueling mission in Afghanistan is in good hands.

"We have never been more proficient," he said. "At this mission, I have no worries whatsoever that our crews are at the top of their game."

C-5s support Afghanistan troop surge

Reserve and active-duty C-5 aircrews from Dover Air Force Base, Del., spent June 15, 2010 through July 15, 2010 overseas supporting the Afghanistan troop surge by delivering 4 million pounds of cargo to various locations in Afghanistan. (Courtesy photo)

by Capt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo, 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AFNS) -- Since June 17, Dover Air Force Base Reserve and active-duty C-5 Galaxy aircrews have been overseas supporting the Afghanistan surge delivering 4 million pounds of cargo to Afghanistan.

Two C-5M Super Galaxies and seven C-5 Galaxies completed 42 of 44 missions July 12, with the final C-5 mission scheduled for July 17.

The C-5, with its ability to carry more than any other aircraft, has been an aviation workhorse for the Air Force since the 1970s. However, the C-5M, upgraded with new avionics and engines, is setting a historic precedent as well, said Lt. Col. Mike Semo, a 709th AS pilot and chief of the C-5M program office.

"The C-5Ms performance in this surge sets the benchmark for future operations," he said. "Staging the C-5M downrange to transport time-critical cargo direct to a theatre half-way around the world is groundbreaking. This adds a new-weapon to our arsenal of direct delivery capability, and we are extremely proud to enable our troops to accomplish the mission by providing them with life-saving equipment, supplies and cargo."

Plus, the C-5M has 22 percent more thrust, resulting in a 30 percent shorter take-off and a 58 percent higher climb rate to initial altitude," Colonel Semo said. The aircraft can fly for more than 5,000 miles without refueling, allowing it to bypass traditional en-route stops and supply cargo to the war fighter much faster.

Another improvement is the C-5M's mission capable rate, which is the ability of the aircraft to perform the mission. For the surge, the C-5M completed 21 missions with an MCR of 85 percent, said Chad Gibson, the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics communications manager. The seven legacy C-5 aircraft achieved an MCR of 65 percent during the effort.

MCRs for the C-5 averaged 67 percent from July 1994 to June 1995, according to www.globalsecurity.org.

"We expect the reliability to increase further with the first production aircraft that arrives at Dover (AFB) Sept. 30," Colonel Semo said.

The first production C-5M will have incorporated the lessons learned from the operational test and evaluation Dover AFB aircrews completed this year. Congress will decide if the Air Force will receive more modernized C-5s. However, if approved, 49 more C-5s are scheduled to undergo upgrades completing their conversion to the C-5M.

Tanker operation fuels half of U.S. Central Command's air assets

by Staff Sgt. Kelly White, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- In some form or fashion, every Airman deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility feels the effects of round-the-clock air operations, but perhaps none are more in tune with it than those working at the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in Southwest Asia.

"Right now, there are more than 30 airplanes and almost 50 crews performing aerial refueling missions for (Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom)," said Lt. Col. Michael Frymire, the 340th EARS commander. "Obviously, we're 24/7/365, and all that we accomplish, with what little we have, keeps things here very interesting."

While there are other tankers in theater supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, the 340th EARS KC-135 Stratotankers are the sole providers of air refueling over Iraq and providers of 45-50 percent of refueling over Afghanistan.

"Using my own paradigm from other flying squadrons, the amount of infrastructure we have here, based on the size of the operation, it's pretty amazing we're able to sustain it," Colonel Frymire said.

"We have an interesting dynamic," he said. "We're total force -- completely 'rainbowed' between active-duty, guard and Reserve members. There aren't too many flying organizations that do that."

Because of this dynamic, the squadron experiences frequent member turnover.

"There are about 15 different units here at any given time, and we have weekly deployment and redeployment -- crews coming in, crews going out -- and we do that continuously," the colonel said.

"A lot of times it gets absolutely crazy over here," Colonel Frymire said, "and most of our folks work seven days a week. I try not to kill them with 12-hour shifts, but there's a definite burn-out factor. It's tough on them, because things never stabilize."

The 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit Airmen are also working to make the mission happen.

"Our AMU is amazing," Colonel Frymire said. "We can't get off the ground without their support."

Capt. Clarence Lovejoy, the 340th EARS assistant director of operations, one of the many behind-the-scenes Airmen whose dedication and expertise helps make refueling happen throughout the area of responsibility, tackles the daily task of flight scheduling.

After deciphering air tasking orders from the Combined Air Operations Center and extracting the points most pertinent to the aircrews, he builds their daily flight plans and tracks every flight hour for the nearly 50 crews.

"We keep up a pretty good pace," Captain Lovejoy said. "We do a lot of planning, but it's basically the crews that handle the workload. They're flying long sorties.

"Our crews often will push their monthly flying hour limits, so we have to sit them down for a few days," he explained. "And on top of flying hours, we have to keep them on a circadian rhythm, which is probably the biggest challenge."

Another challenge is fitting the right crew with the right aircraft, Colonel Frymire said.

"Not every crew here can fly every configuration of the airplane," he said. "Our jets are subtly different. The (multi-point refueling system) pods on the sides require special aircrew certifications.

"Our alert requirement every day is typically an MPRS tail, because we can do either boom or drogue, which means we can refuel the Navy or the Air Force," he said.

Daily and alert missions aren't all the squadron flies.

"We support (Combined Forces Air Component Command), CAOC and (Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component), so we do several special ops missions every day, as well," the colonel said.

Regardless of the type of mission the 340th EARS flies, there's one thing they all have in common: refueling other aircraft in the sky above the AOR. This responsibility rests on the one enlisted aircrew member on board -- the boom operator.

From a prone position in the tail area of the KC-135, the boom operator views the receiving aircraft, positions the boom apparatus to connect with the receiver, and provides it with the fuel needed to complete its mission.

"This is some of the best flying," said Tech Sgt. Jeff Stoermer, a 340th EARS boom operator. "In 60 days here, we do what it takes a year to do at home station."

In addition to operating the boom, his position entails several other responsibilities.

"I'm the third set of eyes, after the pilot and co-pilot," Sergeant Stoermer said. "I also do loadmaster and flight engineer functions, kind of a jack-of-all-trades on board the aircraft."

Colonel Frymire said he's most impressed with how all of the Airmen in his squadron perform so well at a mission that is ever-increasing in its demand on them.

"The volume of work all these folks do is just unbelievable," he said. "We've been here doing this refueling mission for awhile, and we make small changes and continuous process improvements over time.

"But at the end of the day, it's just people working hard, focusing on the mission and getting it done -- that, and lots of coffee."

Newly deployed A-10 unit provides close air support

by Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- More than 200 pilots, maintainers and crew chiefs of the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the 81st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron arrived May 11 here to provide close air support throughout Afghanistan.

They are taking over from the Airmen of the 184th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.

"The mission of the unit is to provide close air support for coalition forces," said Lt. Col. Ronald Stuewe, the commander of the 81st EFS.

"That is the bread and butter of (the A-10 Thunderbolt II) and the bread and butter of the mission here," he said. "That's what we train to do and that is what we are here to execute."

The two units are scheduled to be deployed here for four months, said Capt. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, the commander of the 81st EAMXS.

They are assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

The units brought with them most of the maintainers, aircrew flight equipment, intelligence, medical and support members assigned to their home station, Captain Fitzpatrick said.

Although this is the unit's first time here, the A-10 unit has deployed to other locations in the area of responsibility.

"We are glad to be here and ready to go. We've hit the ground running. We've had a great start to what seems like a fantastic deployment," Colonel Stuewe said.

MC-12 begins mission in southern Afghanistan

by Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing here welcomed one of the newest members of the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance weapons systems to Kandahar Airfield March 29.

The MC-12 Liberty aircraft is a manned special-mission turboprop aircraft designed for ISR and brings a different capability to the fight, said Lt. Col. Darren Halford, the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander.

The aircraft flew its first combat sortie here April 1. The MC-12 Liberty provides real-time tactical ISR, with analysts and aircrew deployed together for seamless operations and maximum interaction with joint ground forces.

More aircraft and crews are expected to join this one in the future, Colonel Halford said. In addition to the impressive capabilities of the MC-12, this second squadron in Afghanistan will provide tremendous capacity.

"The MC-12 unparalleled capability to exploit the high ground, and give ground forces vital information about enemy locations and actions," Colonel Halford said. "The MC-12 will protect U.S. and coalition lives, and will be a vital tool helping Afghanistan defeat the insurgency."

The crew consists of a pilot, a co-pilot, a sensor operator and a cryptologic operator, while imagery analysts in the ISR exploitation cell act as a fifth crewmember, exploiting information and liaising with ground forces.

Pilots are trained on the aircraft by officials from the 186th Mississippi Air National Guard based in Meridian, Miss. In less than two years, three squadrons have stood up as solely expeditionary units with no permanent home station.

The newest MC-12s have extended-range fuel tanks, which can increase range and endurance.

"The 361st ERS is building on the lessons learned, successes and proud tradition's already established at the 362nd (Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron) and 4th (Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron)," Colonel Halford said.

The 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, surpassed 2,000 sorties in early March and the second MC-12 unit to stand up, the 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, surpassed 300 sorties in its first three months.

Ike Launches First OEF Sorties

USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, At Sea (NNS) -- The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group launched its first sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Jan. 28 and also assumed duties as Commander, Task Force (CTF) 50.

Aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 departed the decks of the strike group's flagship, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) bound for the skies over Afghanistan to support coalition ground forces.

"We are the first strike group to deploy in this historic year," said Capt. Roy J. Kelley, commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7. "Our mission is to help the troops on the ground in Afghanistan defeat the insurgency and protect the Afghan people."

The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment to the region and will conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO) along with providing support to Operations Enduring Freedom.

"Every individual on the ship contributes to this mission, from the aircrew who the fly missions to the culinary specialists who sustain them," said Kelley. "We all contribute to this mission and support our brethren in arms on the ground."

Eisenhower relieved USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Gulf of Oman on Jan. 25 as part of a normal rotation of forces and marked the end of the Nimitz Strike Group's deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Eisenhower CSG is made up of Commander, CSG 8; the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower (CVN 69), homeported in Norfolk, Va.; CVW 7; Commander, Destroyer Squadron 28; the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74), homeported in Norfolk; and the Mayport, Fla.-based ships, the guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) and the guided-missile destroyers USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Farragut (DDG 99).

The squadrons of CVW-7, led by Capt. Roy Kelley, include the "Jolly Rogers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103, the "Pukin' Dogs" of VFA 143, the "Rampagers" of VFA 83, the "Wildcats" of VFA 131, the "Patriots" of Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ 140, the "Bluetails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, and the "Nightdippers" of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 5.

Eisenhower is supporting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet AOR. MSO help develop security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

Command, Control Above Afghanistan

An E-2C Hawkeye assigned to the Wallbangers of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 makes an arrested landing during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz(CVN 68). Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are conducting operations off the coast of Southern California in preparation for a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Peter Merrill/Released)

USS NIMITZ, At sea (NNS) -- The E-2C Hawkeye aircraft assigned to Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has the mission to synchronize and direct air crews over Afghanistan.

E-2C Hawkeyes use sophisticated radar and communications to frame the operational picture for all levels of command supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

"The E-2C is predominantly a command and control aircraft," said Lt. Cmdr David Dees, operations officer from VAW-117. "With the dynamic joint battle space we are able to link the operational level, or the higher level commanders, with the tactical units in the field."

The aircraft's powerful radar can simultaneously track more than 600 targets and control more than 40 airborne intercepts. It is able to detect targets within a three-million-cubic mile envelope, monitoring both air and maritime traffic.

"Everything the Hawkeye does in Afghanistan is to shorten the timeline from when the guy on the ground needs something to the time he gets it," said Lt. Cmdr. Matt Ventimiglia, an E-2C pilot. "That encompasses everything: tanking, air space management, communications and data linking."

The E-2C maintains the picture and serves as an information sharing hub for aviators and ground troops alike. Air space management and tanker coordination between Joint tactical air controllers on the ground and airborne assets is facilitated by the Hawkeye.

"We're [E-2Cs] helping the air wing meet its commitments because the guys on the ground don't care if that jet comes from VFA (strike fighter squadron) 97 or VFA-14, they just care it's where it's supposed to be, with what they need, when they need it," said Ventimiglia. "The Hawkeyes make sure that happens."

Since entering the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Operations Sept. 18, aircraft from Nimitz have conducted more than 2,220 sorties in support of OEF, providing 30 percent of the close air support to the coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG), commanded by Rear Adm. John W. Miller, is comprised of USS Nimitz, embarked Carrier air Wing (CVW) 11, embarked Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, and USS Chosin (CG 65). Ships assigned to DESRON 23 include USS Pinckney (DDG 91), USS Sampson (DDG 102) and USS Rentz (FFG 46).

Squadrons from CVW 11 include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, VFA 14, VFA 97, VFA 86, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6, Electronic Attack Squadron 135, Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117.

Helicopter detachments include Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 37, HSL 43, HSL 45, HSL 49 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23. Also accompanying the Nimitz CSG are Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 and the USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10).

More Fort Hood Soldiers to Deploy to Afghanistan

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - The 4th Infantry Division's 4th Combat Aviation Brigade will deploy to Afghanistan this summer as part of the surge of American troops to the country, Defense Department officials said here today.

The deployment order brings the number of U.S. troops notified for deployment to 25,000. President Barack Obama promised to send 30,000 additional U.S. forces to the nation this year.

The 2,600-man 4th Combat Aviation Brigade is based at Fort Hood, Texas, and makes up the greatest part of this deployment. Another 500 support-forces soldiers also are deploying. Officials did not say where the soldiers ultimately will be based in Afghanistan.

On Dec. 7, Pentagon officials announced the first deployment as part of the Afghan surge. Officials said 16,000 servicemembers would deploy, including a reinforced Marine battalion with about 1,500 Marines from Camp Lejeune, N.C. That unit has arrived in Regional Command South in Afghanistan.

Camp Lejeune also will send Regimental Combat Team 2 with 6,200 Marines in early spring 2010. An 800-member Marine headquarters unit from Camp Pendleton, Calif., also will deploy in the spring.

The 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, based in Fort Drum, N.Y., will deploy in the spring to train and mentor Afghan security forces.

On Dec. 22, Pentagon officials announced the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team from Fort Campbell, Ky., will deploy in early spring, along with another 2,600 support personnel.

Pentagon officials said they expect to identify the last of the troops to deploy with the surge soon.

About 70,000 American forces are in Afghanistan today, along with 43,000 allied troops from 42 countries. Ultimately, more than 100,000 U.S. troops and 50,000 coalition troops will be in the country.

Charleston Air Force Base: C-17s could take shortcut over the North Pole

In a copyrighted story published By SCHUYLER KROPF and the The (Charleston) Post and Courier, they are reporting that "pilots from the Charleston Air Force Base could soon begin flying over the North Pole to reach the Afghanistan war zone. And if the order comes, one flyer says it won't be that hard to do."

You can read the rest of the story at http://www.islandpacket.com/1492/story/1085183.html

For my HF aero/milcom friends you should keep an ear out on the following MWARA Polar region (NAT-D) freqs for these Charleston AFB C-17 aircraft:

2971.0 4675.0 8891.0 11279.0 13291.0 17946.0 kHz (USB)

Good luck and good hunting de Jefe

Georgia Air Guard Teams With Fighting 48th in Afghanistan

Air Force Capt. Roger M. Brooks IV, commander of a 12-man Joint Terminal Attack Controller team, takes coordinates at an Afghan Border Police observation post in the mountains of Achin district in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, Dec. 20, 2009, as a tower guard provides over watch. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tracy J. Smith

By Army Sgt. Tracy J. Smith, Special to American Forces Press Service

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Georgia Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 165th Air Support Operations Squadron have teamed up with 48th Infantry Brigade soldiers in eastern Afghanistan.

The airmen comprise several Joint Terminal Attack Controller units that will call in combat air support for the 48th's fighters, said Army Capt. Roger Brooks IV, from Marietta, Ga., the commander of the Georgia JTACs.

Brooks describes his team as an "in-case-of-emergency-break-glass" option.

The controllers serve with the advancing infantry, he said, assessing the situation alongside the combat troops and calling in air support if the situation dictates.

Georgia's JTACs are divided into three-man teams spread among four battalions conducting battlefield operations.

Air Force Master Sgt. James F. Harnisch, from Savannah, Ga., is the senior noncommissioned officer on Brooks' team. He has been a support member of the 48th Brigade for nearly six years. He and his fellow airmen have served with the Guard members during various operations.

Harnisch found familiar faces at Forward Operating Base Hughie in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, where the 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment is based. Many of the Georgians previously had served together in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.

"Because of that history, they know what they can expect from us and what we can provide them," Harnisch said.

The JTACs' sense of situational awareness allows them to assist with intelligence gathering and provide input based on what they call patterns-of-life observations. These traits are invaluable to the cavalry scouts who patrol the mountains bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Missions in Afghanistan are conducted during unpredictable weather amid formidable terrain. The Georgia airmen and soldiers surmount such difficulties through communication and teamwork.

"The camaraderie is appreciated. With them being from the same state makes them more valuable, because we sort of speak the same language," said Army Staff Sgt. Stephen Warren, who hails from Douglasville, Ga.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Hammond, Georgia Air National Guard commander, is slated to visit with soldiers and airmen in Afghanistan. During recent stateside pre-deployment training exercises he highlighted the need for airmen and soldiers to speak the same language and work in concert.

"There should be no delineation as to uniform or branch of service," Hammond said. "The primary focus is to make sure the 48th Brigade is successful during this deployment and we will do everything we can to make sure that they are successful."

MC-12 arrives, heralds activation of 4th ERS

Airmen welcomed the first Air Force MC-12 to be based in Afghanistan Dec. 27, 2009. The aircraft brings another capability to Operation Enduring Freedom, because the MC-12 is not just an aircraft, but a complete collection, processing, analysis and dissemination system of Airmen committed to securing Afghanistan and protecting Afghan and coalition lives. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Felicia Juenke)

by Tech. Sgt. John Jung, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- The newest aircraft to the Air Force's inventory arrived Dec. 27, 2009, to Bagram Airfield. The MC-12 aircraft, tail number 090623, was the first of an undisclosed number of aircraft for the new 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here.

Following the MC-12's arrival, the 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron was activated to carry out MC-12 operations in the Afghan theater of operations.

Col. Patrick McKenzie, the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, presided over the brief ceremony attended by approximately one hundred Airmen and Soldiers.

"The MC-12 is much more than just a fleet of aircraft, its pilots and maintainers. It also consists of equipment and personnel that collect and broadcast full-motion video and signals intelligence, as well as crews that process, exploit and disseminate the information," Colonel McKenzie said. "In addition, the MC-12 encompasses a host of communications experts that support and maintain the added capability that the aircraft brings to the warfighter."

Taking the reins of the 4th ERS was Lt. Col. Douglas Lee, deployed from Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., and a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala.

"As a boy growing up in the Air Force, I could only imagine this day and for this opportunity to come along - [serving] in combat is why we raise our right hand to begin with," he said. "Knowledge is power and that is what we provide. This knowledge will help protect Afghans, provide security and protect Coalition lives. All of these things directly contribute to the combined effort that secures the battlespace and helps the Afghan people to defeat the insurgency."

As the demand for Air Force ISR increases assets, the MC-12 is positioned to meet that demand.

The first of its kind for the Air Force in Afghanistan, the MC-12 provides real-time ISR in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The aircraft bring another capability to Operation Enduring Freedom because the MC-12 is not just an aircraft, but a complete collection, processing, analysis and dissemination system of Airmen committed to securing Afghanistan and protecting Afghan and coalition lives.

Eighteen months ago, 'Project Liberty' was on the drawing board. Today, the aircraft and its crews and maintainers supporting the 4th ERS are operational and ready to go at Bagram Airfield.

"We are not the first to provide ISR, but we hope to enhance the joint effort through synergy with our sister services," Colonel Lee said.

Overall, the MC-12 will augment information gathered by other ISR assets already operating in Afghanistan and complement existing capability. The platform will enhance how Air Force ISR complements the total intelligence 'picture' in the respective commander's scheme of maneuver in the battlespace.

With a unique mission to execute, members of the 4th ERS are eager to "look for trouble," as their squadron motto states, but hope to see it first so U.S. and coalition ground forces can avoid it.