Atlantic Strike simulates real combat

by Airman 1st Class Daniel Phelps, Atlantic Strike Public Affairs

AVON PARK, Fla. (AFNS) -- The team of four trudged down the road in the hot, mid-afternoon sun wearing body armor, Kevlar helmets and radios on their backs with their weapons drawn. There had been reports of an enemy stronghold in the area, and the team's mission was to take the "bad guys" out.

Finally, they came to a split in the road.

This was not a real mission, but rather the south tactical lane portion of Atlantic Strike 10-02, an Air Combat Command sponsored joint exercise designed to hone the tactical employment of air power during close air support missions.

Though the exercise was taking place in Central Florida, the simulation was taking place in Southwest Asia. The two Soldiers, Sgt. Alex Hummell, 25th Infantry Division joint fires observer, and Spc. Ron Aschnewitz, 25th ID joint fires observer, continued down the road while Tech. Sgt. Tony Hall, 118th Air Support Operations Squadron tactical air control party and joint terminal attack controller, and Senior Airman Blake Sigmon, 118th ASOS tactical air control party and radio operator, maintainer and driver, took to the left.

The goal for this scenario was for the JFOs to coordinate close air support with the JTAC in order to engage a ground target in support of the maneuver commander's intent, explained Sergeant Hall.

As the two TACPs began down their path, Sergeant Hall tripped over a wire and a ground burst simulator went off beside them, simulating an improvised explosive device. Soon, they took cover and tried to get in contact with the JFOs to determine the point of origin of the attack. Again the two TACPs came under attack, forcing them to leave and find cover someplace else.

"South TAC is designed to mess with their minds," said Tech. Sgt. Adam Schwartz, South TAC training leader. "It is, mentally, the most challenging lane here. They need to be aware of everything that is going on, spatial relationships and where their partners are at all times while under fire."

They took off and found cover by an old, destroyed vehicle. There, they once again tried to get in contact with the JFOs as an UH-1 Huey and an AH-1W Cobra patrolled the sky overhead, waiting for coordinates on the attack's origin.

Finally, a visual was established on the JFOs location by the air support, and attack coordinates were passed.

The thudding blades of the rotor could be heard over head as the helicopter came in for the attack. The rattle of its gun firing accompanied dirt flying through the air and the pounding of metal as bullets tore into the ground and building. Rockets were launched from the helicopter with a final explosion as the Cobra flew off.

Afterward, the TACPs made a call to see if there were any mosques in the town.

"The reason for this call was to ensure to not cause any cultural or religious damage to anything," said Staff Sgt. Wayne Michaelson, South TAC training leader.

Soon a call came in from the JFOs that one of their troops had been "injured" in the previous attack, and a line was called in to the choppers for a medical evacuation.

The Huey soon landed and the "injured" troop was loaded and evacuated.

Once the Huey departed, the Airmen and Soldiers began working to figure out the coordinates of the recent attack. As they began to establish the location, another mortar occurred, forcing them to flee the area again.

"The constant stress from mortar attacks causes confusion and frustration for the JTACs and JFOs," Sergeant Moon explained.

Once the team reached a protected location, the frustration was evident as they began arguing about the attack's origin.

"Just get the coordinates already," Sergeant Hall shouted.

After much discussion, the location of the mortar attacks was established, and a nine-line for another CAS attack was called in.

"Our job as training leaders is to make the JTACs and JFOs mess up," Sergeant Moon said. "If they are doing too well, we'll find something else to throw at them."

"The stress levels were pretty high," explained Sergeant Hall. "There was a lot going on, confusion about target location and communication issues all while being attacked. It's a lot to react to."

Finally, the Cobra called in from over the radio, "threat neutralized."

"The idea of this scenario is to keep the JFOs and JTACs under constant stress to see if they'll still hit accurate targets," Sergeant Schwartz said.

Sergeant Moon explained that each of the different lanes the participants go through are designed this way so that when they are on the battlefield, they will be better trained to handle the stress of combat.

"This is exactly what we are going to be doing in the real world," concluded Sergeant Hall. "It's as close as you can get without real bullets flying at your head."

Joint warfighters hone skills at Atlantic Strike

by Casey E. Bain and Susan Hulker, Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team Public Affairs

AVON PARK, Fla. (AFNS) -- Joint and coalition warfighters improved their close-air support skills during an exercise led by Air Combat Command and U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team Sept. 13.

Atlantic Strike 10-02 trained warfighters to find, fix, track, target, engage and assess both fixed and moving ground targets.

"Atlantic Strike is the quintessential air-to-ground training exercise that provides joint terminal attack controllers, joint fires observers and aircrews with the skills they need to effectively work together to achieve both lethal and non-lethal effects on the battlefield," said Marine Corps Maj. Jabari Reneau, the FIIT's Atlantic Strike exercise director. "This training will ultimately improve our combat effectiveness, while reducing the potential of fratricide and collateral damage during combat operations."

The exercise is to foster trust, increase confidence, and build vital relationships between key members of the air-to-ground team that will be essential to our forces' continued success today and on future battlefields, said Maj. Gen. David L. Goldfein, the director of Air Combat Command Air and Space Operations.

"Those important relationships are being forged here just like they must be on the battlefield when you can look your comrade in the eye and know you can count on each other," the general said. "That's what Atlantic Strike provides our warfighters."

More than 240 participants, CAS subject matter experts, observers and support personnel participated in the exercise, including representatives from all four U.S. services and our coalition partners from Canada and Slovenia.

"Atlantic Strike gave us an excellent opportunity to work with the U.S. military and other partners," said Canadian Forces Capt. Jonathan Cober, a forward air control cell instructor. "Our primary purpose at this exercise was the opportunity to look at the digital CAS technologies used here and to practice key air-to-ground linkages with some of our most important partners."

An added advantage of Atlantic Strike was the ability to focus on the training audience's needs.

"One of the strengths of Atlantic Strike is it is scalable and still able to focus on specific (training) objectives," General Goldfein said. "We're 100 percent focused and committed to the current fight as we keep an eye on the next threat. We know to accomplish that task we must be good joint partners, and this exercise is an example of that commitment."

The exercise improved joint air-to-ground training of Air Force and Marine Corps JTACs, Army JFO teams, the Air Support Operations Center and aircrew by incorporating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets along with real-time, full-motion video to replicate a realistic and stressful combat environment, similar to operations in Afghanistan.

"Our primary goal was to get as many controls of live CAS aircraft as we could," said Senior Airman Benjamin Schmidt from Detachment 2, 1st Air Support Operations Squadron, Baumholder, Germany. "Atlantic Strike gave us the opportunity to work with a variety of aircraft and the entire air-to-ground kill chain just like we will in combat. This is as about as real world as it gets for us, and it will ultimately help us perform our mission downrange."

Battlefield technology key to Atlantic Strike V - Update

Photo: A "Condor" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle without its protective skin sits on top of its carrying case April 17 before flying in Atlantic Strike 5. Atlantic Strike is a joint forces semi-annual training event involving Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, or JTACs, from the Air Force Army and Marines at Avon Park Air Ground Training Complex, Avon Park, FL.(U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Otero)

Editor's Note: Frequencies and callsigns associated with this exercise are at the end of this article. The RF spectrum profile below updated at 0952 EDT 20 April 2007

by By Staff Sgt. Amanda Savannah
U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs

4/19/2007 - AVON PARK, Fla. (AFNEWS) -- As the convoy travels down the dusty path, the lead Humvee's Joint Terminal Attack Controller zeroes in on a potential target 1,500 meters in front of him. He sends the coordinates to the waiting aircraft above.

"Target is verified JTAC, expending munitions." The aircraft releases its munitions precisely on target, decreasing collateral damage and allowing the convoy to continue on, unharmed.

Although not an actual account, scenarios like this one would not be possible in theater without technology such as the Remotely Operated Video Enhancement Receiver, or ROVER, and Venom, a remote-controlled, laser designator rangefinder telescoping mast system. Air Force, Marine Corps and Canadian Air Force JTACs are training on these and other battlefield technologies during Atlantic Strike V April 14-20 at the Avon Park Air Ground Training Complex in Avon Park, Fla.

ROVER can receive video and telemetry data from manned aircraft, remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles and the Venom system to display on a laptop or television monitor. The receive-only terminal can receive most Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance video from C, L and KU Band frequencies. This capability allows ground commanders to see around corners, over hills or on top of buildings -- providing critical battlefield situational awareness and targeting capability.

"The ROVER terminal gives JTACs the same aerial picture the aircraft sees," said Lisa Diamanti of L3 Communications, the company responsible for designing the ROVER system. "The JTACs on the ground need to see this picture to positively identify targets. This cuts down the talk-on-target time (from hours) to 10 minutes or less."

Before ROVER, JTACs had to have their eyes on the target and relied on verbal communication between themselves, aircraft and the Air Support Operations Center. JTACs would provide the target, which the ASOC then confirmed before the aircrew could execute.

Master Sgt. Craig Hillsman, an Air Force JTAC with the 19th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Campbell, Ky., appreciates how the ROVER system "cuts out the middleman."

"The ability for JTACs to operate without (having to contact) forward (command and control) is great," he said. "It also expands my ability to do my job without putting myself in harm's way, because it gives me a bird's-eye view of the area instead of just line of sight. For example, I can spot a target individual and instead of giving away my position, I can watch (on the ROVER) the receiving aircraft follow him to a point a safe distance from me before engaging."

Northrop Grumman's Venom system will give JTACs even more of a chance for survival.

"With the growing need for up-armored Humvees, the military needed a system that would allow its occupants to stay under that armor while identifying targets," said Bob Raulerson, marketing manager for Northrop Grumman. Venom uses a Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder on a universal, stabilized platform that mounts on top of the vehicle and enables military members to observe targets during the day or night. The versatile system can be mounted on a mast that can be attached to any vehicle, Mr. Raulerson said.

If fitted with a ROVER transmitter, the Venom can send its images to ROVER systems, adding a line-of-sight image to the aerial image a JTAC receives from an aircraft. When in laser tracking mode, Venom also allows units to identify and lock on to a target while moving out of the area before the military members are discovered.

"I have also been told that some forward-operating bases are benefiting from mounting Venom on top of a building while the operator remains inside, out of harm's way," Mr. Raulerson said. "All in all, Venom will do more to ensure warfighters return home safely."

During a scenario involving a high-value target, the Army convoy commander parked the Venom system outside a village, adding another vantage point to his maneuvers. The convoy was able to engage enemy forces on the other side of the village, while monitoring buildings to avoid an unexpected flanking maneuver. The Venom system also allowed the ground commander to find a hidden sniper position -- a position only visible from the reverse angle the Venom system provided.

The mounting platform being tested at Atlantic Strike V is scheduled to be used in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in August.

Aircraft at Atlantic Strike V capable of transmitting full-motion video include the F-16 Fighting Falcons, A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, B-52 Stratofortresses, Navy P-3C Orions, the Condor and Swiper UAVs and Cessna aircraft simulating Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Here is a list of freqs/designators/callsigns that have been reported and are associated with Atlantic Strike V.

Atlantic Strike V Frequencies
8971.0 FIDDLE USB

126.150 Avon Park Range Control
131.825 COASTAL
133.475 COASTAL

138.050 FLYER interflight
138.125 Homestead ARB
138.200 FLYER interflight
138.400 Homestead ARB
139.750 Homestead ARB
139.800 Homestead ARB
141.400 NIGHTSTAR wkg ANTIDOTE 57
141.750 BEAR, NIGHTSTAR calling WARHAWK
143.625 WARHAWK
148.825 BUSHMASTER

242.050 BLUE 1
258.100 LIGHTNING 22
264.625 Avon Park Range
269.250 Jax Center – Ocala Low
271.600 "SHERIFF NET" (convoys)
276.600 WARHAWK
279.600 Tampa App
281.500 Miami Center
283.700 MacDill AFB – BEAR CAVE (VAW-124) / BUCCANEER OPS (111th FW)
285.000 ORION / JAGUAR
285.725 Avon Park Range
291.600 Miami Center - Pahokee
292.200 Avon Park Range Control
297.500 FLYER air-air
303.150 Homestead ARB (also being used for air-air on the range)
306.000 P-3
349.000 Miami Center – Avon Park
349.300 BEAR / STARGATE (MOA check in freq)
354.400 STARGATE, BEAR 01, 02 / (STARGATE – DRAGNET VICTOR air-air)
379.400 Barksdale AFB 93rd BS (SCALP air-air)

Freq Designators:
BLUE 1 – 242.050
BLUE 2 – 258.100
BLUE 3 – 349.300
BLUE 5 – 271.600
BLUE 6 – 354.400
GREEN 5/11 – 133.475
GREEN 17
YELLOW 1 – 264.625
YELLOW 2
YELLOW 3 - 285.725
WHITE 5 – 143.625
WHITE 7 – 276.600
WHITE 8 – 349.300 (also passed as BLUE 3)
WHITE 12 – 292.200
Satcom – (BEAR mentioned working WARHAWK on Satcom)

Callsigns:
AKULA – F-16C+, 93rd FS
ANTIDOTE 07, 57
BEAR 01, 02 – E-2C, VAW-124
BUSHMASTER 17, 19, 20, 66 (20 Convoy JTAC)
COASTAL AIR – Cessna (simulated UAV)
COASTAL GROUND – ground support for UAV
DARK KNIGHT (NIGHT) 01, 02
FIDDLE – Jax NAS TSC
FLYER – A-10A, 111th FW
GOLDFINCH 711 – P-3C
JAGUAR ground support for P-3
HARDROCK 09, 10, 11
HORSEMAN 13, 14, 15
LIGHTNING 22, 23, 35 – JTAC
MAKO – F-16C+, 93rd FS
NIGHTSTAR – E-8C, 12th ACCS
OMEGA 18, 68 (Convoy)
ORION – P-3C
SCALP – B-52H, 93rd BS
SHARK – F-16C+, 93rd FS
SLAYER 03, 04
STARGATE – E-8C; 330th CTS
WARHAWK - ASOC