US Pacific Fleet Master Chief visits TACAMO Sailors

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Delano

TINKER AFB, Okla. (NNS) -- U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief (AW/SW) Marco Ramirez, visited Tinker Base, July 12, to talk with TACAMO (Take Charge And Move Out) Sailors stationed with Strategic Communications Wing 1.

During his visit, Ramirez toured workspaces and met with Sailors from several commands, including Strategic Communications Wing 1 and Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons (VQ) 3, 4 and 7.

"I need Sailors that lead people, priority one is warfighter readiness, which to me, means being ready and able to execute," said Ramirez during a meeting with the First Class Petty Officers. "This means that everyone in your work center is current on their required qualifications and actively pursuing other qualifications such as their warfare qualification, rating requirements and personal development."

Other topics discussed included the future of manning requirements, upcoming changes to CMS, and the effects of sequestration and concluded with a brief question-and-answer session on the newly revised Career Waypoint Program.

"I appreciated having a subject matter expert take the time to clarify the future program processes that impact my Sailors," said Master-at-Arms 1st Class (AW) Michael Hance. "This information allows me, as a leader, to help my Sailors make informed decisions about the opportunities available specifically to them and their career goals."
"You're an awesome team," said Ramirez. "I'm so proud of each and every one of you, and I hope that each of you make chief."

Ramirez's visit ended with a tour of Moore, Okla., which took a devastating hit from a tornado during two weeks of severe weather that began May 20.

"I think the Sailors here are doing a tremendous job," said Ramirez. "Their tremendous focus and resilience in face of the recent challenges is inspiring. I think they're carrying out the mission and have proven that they're ready to do whatever the nation calls upon them to do."

Task Force 124 also known as TACAMO is located in the heartland of America at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and is responsible to Commander Naval Air Forces for manning, training and equipping the Navy squadrons responsible for Nuclear Command and Control Communications to the nation's nuclear triad mission.

Tinker Reservists to participate in Navy fleet exercise

by Lt. Col. Richard Curry, 507th Air Refueling Wing

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFNS) -- Four 507th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft and more than 135 Air Force Reservists will join forces with the U.S. Navy during July to support a U.S. Pacific Fleet exercise.

The exercise, called RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), is a series of multinational maritime exercises scheduled to take place in the Hawaiian operating area June 29 to Aug. 3.

Held biennially by U.S. Pacific Fleet, the 2012 RIMPAC exercise is the 23nd time it has been held and the 6th time supported by Oklahoma Air Force reservists. An advance team, or ADVON, departed via a wing aircraft on July 2 with the main force scheduled to follow on later. There will be a mid-July rotation to allow additional reservists to swap places to give more members the opportunity to experience the joint operation. The 507th ARW reservists and aircraft should return home at the end of the exercise.

Twenty-two nations, 42 ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate in RIMPAC. RIMPAC is the world's largest international maritime exercise. Its purpose is to provide a unique training opportunity and help participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. The RIMPAC exercise series began in 1971.

Hosted by U.S. Pacific Fleet, and led by Vice Adm. Gerald Beaman, commander of the U.S. Third Fleet (C3F), RIMPAC 2012 marks the first time non-U.S. officers will command components of the combined task force during the exercise. Commodore Stuart Mayer of the Royal Australian Navy will command the Maritime Component and Brig. Gen. Michael Hood of the Royal Canadian Air Force will command the Air Component. Other key leaders of the multinational force include Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Ron Lloyd, deputy commander of the Combined Task Force (CTF), and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Rear Adm. Fumiyuki Kitagawa, vice commander of the CTF.

The theme of RIMPAC 2012 is "Capable, Adaptive, Partners." The participating nations and forces will exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces. These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complex warfighting. The relevant, realistic training syllabus includes amphibious operations; gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises as well as counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.

RIMPAC 2012 will feature the first demonstration of a U.S. Navy "Great Green Fleet," during which U.S. surface combatants and carrier-based aircraft will test, evaluate and demonstrate the cross-platform utility and functionality of biofuels. This demonstration will also incorporate prototype energy efficiency initiatives such as solid state lighting, on-line gas turbine waterwash and energy management tools.

This year's exercise includes units or personnel from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

During RIMPAC 2010, 507th aircraft flew 56 sorties refueling 314 aircraft while flying 224.9 hours and offloading more than 2 million and 248 thousand pounds of fuel. Wing officials say 2012 looks to surpass the previous totals. Air refueling support provided by the 507thARW during the previous six exercises totals 250 sorties refueling more than 900 aircraft while offloading 7 million 786 thousand pounds of fuel during 930.4 flying hours.

Major AWACS upgrade begins

The first E-3 Sentry, or Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft to receive the block 40/45 upgrade sits Nov. 18, 2010, outside the programmed depot maintenance hangar at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., awaiting pre-checks prior to PDM and the installation of the upgrade. (Courtesy photo)

by Patty Welsh, 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFNS) -- The next step in the largest block upgrade in the history of the E-3 Sentry, or Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft occurred Nov. 18 at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., when the first aircraft receiving the block 40/45 modification was inducted by the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.

New mission software will enhance tracking and combat identification capabilities, in addition to providing operators with a better picture of the battlespace.

"This modification replaces a mission computer system originally installed in the 1970s," said Maj. Brett Johnson, the AWACS the 40/45 Production chief. "The new system will have an open, network-based architecture, enabling future net-centric modifications."

The upgrade also allows for more sensor integration both on- and off-board the aircraft, improves the aircraft's data link infrastructure, improves machine-to-machine interaction and compresses the timeline from threat engagement to neutralization.

"Think about technology thirty or forty years ago, or even five years ago, and compare it to the capabilities a smartphone has today," Major Johnson said. "We need to give our warfighters improved technological capabilities so they can do their jobs more efficiently and effectively."

The upgrades are being performed at the same time as programmed depot maintenance to minimize aircraft operational downtime.

"Doing a modification of this size during PDM has never been done before," Major Johnson said. "The scheduling, planning and coordination has been a key piece to get us to this event."

Other program office planners are expressing interest in trying to do something similar for their modification efforts.

While Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center technicians are set to perform the upgrades, Electronic Systems Center officials are the lead integrators.

In late October, ESC officials awarded a contract to Boeing for $65 million to procure and manage the thousands of parts needed, and also provide on-site production and installation support throughout the upgrade.

"ESC's role as lead integrator is to ensure all the pieces are in place, so before a wrench is turned, everything needed is there," Major Johnson said.

This first aircraft is the centerpiece of low rate initial production, he said.

Modifications to the first aircraft are scheduled for completion by September 2011. During LRIP, six aircraft are scheduled to be upgraded by 2014.

"This first aircraft is critical," the major said. "It puts us on the path to our full rate production decision, which is planned for 2012."

All the aircraft in the AWACS fleet are scheduled to be at full operational capability by 2020, he said.

As a significant amount of the equipment being installed is commercial-off-the-shelf, ESC members are also thinking ahead with regard to technology obsolescence.

"Anyone who has bought a laptop computer over the last few years knows how quickly technology can change," Major Johnson said. "We're replacing all of the onboard computer work stations with laptops over the next several years, one aircraft at a time. In a modification of this complexity, laptops are only one of many components we are carefully watching."

To accomplish that, ESC officials awarded a contract to Boeing for $15 million in September to support active management of diminishing manufacturing sources and materiel shortages.

"There are a lot of moving parts, and a lot of interdependencies to this upgrade," Major Johnson said. "It has taken a lot of people from ESC, OC-ALC and Boeing to keep us on the right track."

Comm & AWACS: Exploring link between 552nd Communications Group, AWACS mission

by Staff Sgt. Stacy Fowler, 552nd Air Control Wing Public Affairs

Airmen and civilians from the 552nd Air Control Wing work in the mission simulators during a training exercise. The programs used in the mission sims, as well as in the E-3 Sentry itself during real-world missions, are written, tested and released for use by Airmen in the 552nd Communications Group. (Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stacy Fowler)

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- When the E-3 Sentry conducts its missions at home and around the world, every Airman in the wing has their own part in the mission's success. For many people, the implied 552nd Communications Group's mission revolves around office computers, the telephone lines and network communications - but that is only a very small part of the 552nd CG mission.

A unique group, an important mission
"We are unique in the fact that our mission places us closer to the flightline than any typical Comm Group," said Col. John Pericas, 552nd CG commander. "We work hand-in-hand with flying operations to sustain and improve what AWACS brings to the fight."

The Air Battle Managers depend on the Comm Group to build, issue and track communications security and mission software kits, as well as provide post-mission archives of past Sentry data and databases. The group provides 24-hour software support to improve the operational effectiveness of the E-3 and its crews.

While at Tinker, the Comm Group supports six flying squadrons in the states, as well as two E-3 squadrons at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Group personnel also deploy 365 days a year supporting operations such as NOBLE EAGLE and President of the United States (POTUS) missions at home and abroad, counter-drug missions in South America, and Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.

The group is divided into two units: the 552nd Computer Support Squadron and the 752nd Communications Squadron.

"We're not geeks - we're nerds"
The Airmen in the 552nd CSS embrace their 'nerdiness' with pride - they are the ones who write the scope programs used during AWACS missions.

"Here in the CSS, we're not geeks - we're nerds," said Tech. Sgt. Brett Bittle, 552nd CSS training flight NCO. "These guys are incredibly smart, and they are the ones who are responsible for the AWACS scope capabilities. They know more about codes for the AWACS programs than almost anyone! All that's missing is the pocket protectors to let people know how smart these programmers are!"

The CSS not only writes the programs used by the ABMs during missions, they also ensure those programs are compatible with other U.S. surveillance aircraft and other command, control and communications aircraft around the world. There are several steps to the program-building process: writing the codes, testing the codes and then certifying the codes not just through the Air Force, but through allied nation's systems.

They get up to date requests from the ABMs using their programs, and are constantly updating and improving their results. This process takes a lot of time - two years to be exact! After the codes are written, they are tested using computer simulation with the flight simulators and experienced AWACS crews.

"We have already been working on newer codes based on the 'rack-and-stack' requests from the ABMs," said Maj. Steven Phelps, 552nd CSS Operational Test Flight commander.

"It takes a year to write the codes, then another year to test and certify the codes. Everyone in this unit works together to make sure it's done right. If it isn't done right, you could have problems during missions - and someone could get hurt."

Fly-away communications
After the codes are given the "thumbs-up" for use during real-world missions, the 752nd Communications Squadron takes over.

Airmen in the 752nd CS are a fully-deployable asset for the E-3 - they provide a wide array of day-to-day secure communications and computer support.

"We're the ones who make sure the flyers have all the kits they need when they go out for a mission," said Staff Sgt. Jamie Sherman, a 752nd CS AWACS media technician. "Our troops have gone everywhere with the AWACS: South America, POTUS missions, as well as a lot of deployments and exercises here and overseas in the desert."

Squadron members build and issue three kits to AWACS aircrews: mission software that drives the E-3 computer and radar system; communications security kit for voice and data transmissions and encryptions; and the High Frequency Messenger kit that enables classified message capability onboard the E-3.

In addition, Airmen deploy with the E-3 around the world to ensure those kits are updated, archived and cleared - while at the same time keeping the secured communications lines open and ready if and when they are needed. Sometimes called the "first 400 feet" communications, ground comm technicians in the 752nd make sure the ground-to-ground and air-to-ground communications are working properly.

"We have to make sure that all our equipment is fully-functional before we step out the door," said Tech. Sgt. Kerry Splitter, 752nd CS ground communications NCO. "If it's not working we figure out why - and we don't call it a day until it is fixed."

The next generation of AWACS
The majority of AWACS hardware, both in the mission simulators and on the aircraft, dates back to the 1970s - and challenges sometimes come up when today's computer programs interact during missions.

But that is scheduled to change with the development of Block 40/45.

"It's like upgrading from a Commodore 64 computer to one of today's high-speed computer systems," said Staff Sgt. Daniel Drennen, a 552nd CSS test analyst. "We've always upgraded the software to keep up with changes in warfare, but we were still having to use the same hardware. With 40/45, it will exponentially increase our capabilities - and that will prove incredibly useful in today's military."

In addition, Airmen are working on new ways to "replay" past missions in a more three-dimensional way. Currently, the only way to view mission replays is through a two-dimensional, black screen view - which doesn't show all aspects of what might affect an AWACS mission.

"We want to be able to give crews, commanders and any investigators the ability to see what the AWACS has done in a real-world view," said Airman 1st Class John Torgerson, one of the Airmen in the 552nd CSS working on the upgrades. "We hope that this new method increases our abilities to know just what happened during a mission."

With the E-3 Sentry celebrating its 30th anniversary in the Air Force's fleet, change is going to be a constant for Airmen.

"The Comm Group has been working hard to redefine its relevance of what it will bring to the fight in the long term," Colonel Pericas said. "We must continue to provide world-class software development, while transforming to support the implementation and operation of the E-3G. We must structure our group and train our people to simultaneously support [all AWACS upgrades], as well as focus on airborne networking and contributing to the advancement of AWACS as a network-centric operations platform."

NASA turns to Air Force for 'Guppy' evaluation

by Danielle Gregory, 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

NASA’s Super Guppy sits at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., where it arrived in mid-April for a maintenance inspection by Air Force personnel. Project planners say the work should be completed by Aug. 22. (Air Force photo by Debra Bennett)

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- NASA brought its Super Guppy (Callsign NASA 941-LVH) - a uniquely-designed aircraft used to transport cargo, including parts of the space shuttle program - to Tinker AFB in mid-April so that maintainers here could inspect the aircraft and perform some repairs.

According to NASA Chief Flight Engineer Henry Taylor, officials chose Tinker AFB because it has a great reputation for having lots of capabilities when it comes to doing significant maintenance.

"We wanted to go someplace where we could have the kind of expertise and support to support a one-of-a-kind airplane and Tinker has that," Mr. Taylor said.

Project planners here estimate it should take about 14,770 hours to inspect and fix the plane, which has never been fixed prior to this. That equates to an Aug. 22 goal of completing inspections and some repairs, with a drop dead date of Sept. 29, unless workers find something that requires extensive repairs.

Debra Bennett, lead Super Guppy project pre-planner, was part of a Tinker AFB contingent that visited NASA in February 2007 to discuss the Super Guppy.

"This is the first time the Air Force has gotten involved as everything has been done by contractors," Ms. Bennett said. "Tinker AFB, in particular, was selected because we had so many different things we can do right here."