Mountain Home hosts Luftwaffe

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Shane M. Phipps
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, is currently hosting the annual Mountain Roundup exercise, incorporating multiple nations and armed services into one large training event.

Along with providing participants an invaluable training opportunity, the exercise serves as the final stage of the Fighter Weapons Instructor Course for the German air force, which is comparable to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and the Navy's "Top Gun" course.

"It is extremely valuable to be out here training with different nations, from Singapore troops to Canadian," said Oberstleutnant (equivalent to Lt. Col.) Björn Jansen, German air force detachment commander. "It is a valuable experience to learn how other countries operate to meet similar mission requirements."

The decision for the base to host such a large and diverse exercise was not made arbitrarily, but deliberately due to its extensive range complex that covers more than 187 square-miles of airspace in Idaho, Oregon and Nevada.

"This is a great training opportunity to be out here," Jansen said. "We always love to come here because this airspace is exceptional. It allows us room to train with a high volume of aircraft and other equipment."

The German air force brought more than 130 airmen with the goal of flying an average of 12 PA-200 Tornado sorties per day -- all while working in a multi-service and national environment in preparation for future real-world joint operations.

"Working with the Germans is a fantastic experience," explained Royal Canadian Air Force Capt. Sterling Dyer, Administration Officer with the 42nd Radar Squadron in Cold Lake, Alberta Canada. "They are a very professional group of people, and I like the way they function. One of the key aspects of this exercise is by doing this now, when we go operational there will be no big surprises, and we will understand each other and all relatively be on the same page."