Airmen remain combat ready despite detrimental budget cuts

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  Streaking through the skies above Afghanistan, a Strike Eagle tries in vain to perform evasive maneuvers and avoid enemy missiles.

The explosion shudders across the screen as lights flicker to life. The Airmen step out of their individual simulators -- unscathed because the whole mission was a virtual simulation.

"The simulator basically replicates the jet, allowing aircrews to perform a virtual mission where things can go bad safely," said Gary Klett, 366th Operations Support Squadron mission training center site manager. "Afterward, they get together and discuss the mission."

"This way, when the 391st Fighter Squadron begins flying again, the aircrews are operating at maximum efficiency," he continued.

The 366th Fighter Wing stood down the 391st FS "Bold Tigers" as part of the United States Air Force's decision to curtail flying operations for active duty combat units April 10, 2013.

The stand down is the result of budget cuts, ensuring units supporting worldwide operations can maintain sufficient readiness through the remainder of the fiscal year.

"The simulator is obviously the best substitute for the real thing," said Lt. Col. David Brynteson, 391st FS commander. "Training with the simulator definitely helps aircrew maintain our systems and tactics knowledge as well as habit patterns."

This generation of simulators has full 360-degree viewing, allowing aircrew the ability to literally sit down in the seat and see the wings of the airplane as well as terrain of a number of areas across the globe.

"It's an extremely, visually immersive full-mission simulation," said Klett. "Aircrews can do everything inside these simulators that they can do in the actual jets which keeps them extremely combat proficient."

Klett explained that MHAFB utilizes a Boeing F-15E simulator which has numerous uses for Bold Tiger aircrew.

"The capability of the SIM has dramatically improved and become integrated into the training for aircrew due to its capabilities," explained Klett. "Now, before they fly a real-world mission, they perform a test run inside the simulator to ensure mission safety and success. We now have the capability to load specific areas of the world into the SIM in order to provide aircrew with an exact replica of what they will see when flying those real-world missions.

"For example, we can utilize a weather pattern chart in case you want to practice a mission on a specific date in the near future," he continued. "Aircrews are able to virtually fly from a deployed environment on a future date with weather and winds being almost exactly how it will be when they fly the real-world mission, weeks in advance."

The simulator's specifications are so precise that even the sun or moon will be in the correct place for an individual mission rehearsal.

"Before the aircrew from the 389th Fighter Squadron deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, they spent a ton of time in the simulators preparing for their combat missions," said Klett. "They actually designed a few missions based off current intelligence to counter some possible threats they anticipate having to deal with while deployed."

"Crews can input emergency situations allowing them a rare opportunity to practice the procedures necessary to survive," he continued. "This gives them the ability to become proficient in safety and evacuation procedures."

Being able to do things inside the simulator that are not really feasible in the real-world is an important aspect of the simulator.

"We get excellent training in many areas such as emergency procedures and reacting against surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles being fired at us - things we can't practice in the real jet," said Brynteson. "Our goal is to recreate the flying experience while maximizing our learning and academics training. This will ensure we continue to build on our knowledge base while keeping aircrews engaged in the combat mission by preparing for any fight we may be sent to."

One of the most unique features of the SIM is its ability to "link up" with other aircraft simulators.

"Almost every type of jet has a matching simulator and, through a secure link, the players can all meet up and perform missions with different simulated aircraft across the worldwide combat Air Force," said Klett. "When the mission ends, players can all regroup in real-time, discuss the positives and negatives of the simulation, and finally return back into the virtual arena to try it again."

Aircrews from the Bold Tigers are becoming experts in various ways to maximize their time in and out of the simulators.

"Now the aircrews are coming up with their own missions which we load into the SIM so they can have the highest possible amount of training," said Klett. "We cannot completely replace flying in the actual jets, but we can ensure Gunfighter aircrews are ready so when flying missions resume or an emergency occurs, our combat ready Airmen are ready to go."