American, British forces test contingency operations during Desert Eagle 2011

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brigitte N. Brantley-Sisk
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE, Nev. --  For 54 hours straight, more than 250 American and British Airmen worked in unison to protect Al Zubya Air Base against a series of hostile threats.

Through suicide bombers and insurgent attacks, members from the 822nd Base Defense Squadron and the squadrons within the Royal Air Force Regiment from the 4 Force Protection Wing shared tactics, techniques and procedures to repel enemy forces.

Although these simulated events were a part of the first-ever Desert Eagle exercise held March 14 tthrough 16 near Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., they were modeled after what could realistically happen downrange.

"Desert Eagle was designed to help with the exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures between U.S. and U.K. forces," said Col. Joseph D'Amico, 822nd BDS commander from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. "We've trained with British, so this was a great opportunity to further strengthen that relationship. Through this exchange, we increased the proficiency of our combat skills and enhanced the interoperability of our forces with theirs."

During the exercise, both American and British forces acted as base defenders as well as hostile local nationals as the three flights rotated through nine-hour shifts. The simulated nationals were from the village of al-Burqua, located within sight and walking distance of Al Zubya's entry control point and the path of patrols and quick response forces.

Before the beginning of the 54-hour exercise, the Americans and British spent a few days getting familiarized through different training scenarios. This included a daylong event that comprised a seven-mile ruck march, pop-up target shooting competition and two-mile litter carry.

"The terrain here much more resembles being in an actual desert that the land around Moody," said Capt. Tyler McSpadden, 822nd BDS intelligence officer in charge. "When developing the scenarios for the exercise, both we and the British kept in mind what we've seen downrange. We wanted the scenarios to directly mirror those experiences so that we get the maximum training value from our time here."

Although this was the first-ever Desert Eagle, members from the United Kingdom have worked with Americans in the past.

"We've worked with them before, but it wasn't this in-depth," said Master Sgt. Dean Mays, 822nd BDS operations superintendent. "It's the first time the squads and leadership have been fully integrated. Exercising together at this level allows us to share new tactics, techniques and procedures."

One of the British officers who was heavily involved with planning the exercise agrees with the value of sharing the training, techniques and procedures, or TTPs.

"I'm very pleased with the way this training went," said Flight Lt. (Capt.) Jonathan Jarris, 1 SQ, 4 FPW joint intelligence officer. "We got the perfect opportunity to see how each other works and we'll be able to take those lessons back and discuss them.

"Our troops also had the opportunity to see how their weapons work in a desert environment," he added. "Almost everything in England is green so their weapons might operate differently with the heat and the dust."

Captain Jarris and Captain McSpadden were two individuals of the group who held numerous planning meetings to work out the logistics of the exercise.

The 820th Base Defense Group was stood up in 1997 and is loosely modeled after the 4 FPW. It is the U.S. Air Force's only multidiscipline, self-sustaining force protection capability.