Airmen, KC-135s Support Exercise in Australia

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Airmen, KC-135s Support Exercise in Australia
17 JULY 2009

Two KC-135 Stratotankers delivered 140,000 pounds of fuel to two B-52 Stratofortresses participating in Talisman Saber 09, currently underway in Australia, and scheduled through July 25.

Talisman Saber is a U.S. Pacific Command-directed, bilateral command post and field-training exercise designed to maintain a high level of interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces.

"What we did basically was take off as a two-ship formation in a southwesterly direction, and we met with the B-52s and arrived at the same point at the same time," said Lt. Col. Allen Turco, a KC-135 Stratotanker instructor pilot in the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron.

Stratotankers refueling Stratofortresses is nothing out of the ordinary. Both airframes were built during the Truman era, and were designed to make the two air frames compatible for refueling.

"I have refueled with B-52s several times," said Capt. Steve Greenspan, a 506th EARS KC-135 instructor pilot. "As a pilot up front, it's probably one of the easier aircraft to refuel. It's a mated sister ship of ours. It was made for us. We refuel it all the time, especially out in combat. I've had several deployments with the B-52s, and they are always really good platforms."

The KC-135s, deployed from March Air Reserve Base, Calif., and the B-52s, deployed from Barksdale AFB, La., are here to support U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence, which helps to maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific Region while allowing U.S. forces to become familiar with operating in the Pacific theater.

Master Sgt. Timothy Preston, 506th EARS air refueling specialist or boom operator, echoed the B-52 airframes compatibility to the KC-135.

"The B-52 is much easier to refuel than a lot of the other aircraft," Sergeant Preston said. "The receptacle on the receiver of the B-52 is a pretty big area. The B-52 was designed for our aircraft. They go hand-in-hand."

Sergeant Preston has gained an appreciation for being part of the Theater Security Package, but also being able to support the Continuous Bomber Presence.

"It's a good feeling to actually come out and do the mission," said Sergeant Preston. "It's a nice experience to be here and participate in the mission that we're trained to do."

Captain Greenspan, an activated reservist, also enjoys being able to support the Theater Security Package and the Continuous Bomber Presence.

"I like supporting both missions here in Guam because it makes me feel like I'm back on active duty," he said. "Supporting the mission is what I enjoy the most... We can deploy at any point in time at any position and be utilized at all times right here."

The refuelers are expected to support the Theater Security Package and the Continuous Bomber Presence until August.

Exercise Talisman Saber 2009:
Exercise Talisman Saber 2009 (TS09) is a joint Australian and United States military exercise, focusing on operational and tactical interoperability through a high end, medium intensity scenario involving live, virtual and constructive forces. TS09 will be conducted in Australia from 6-26 July 2009.


A KC-135 Stratotanker refuels an USAF B-52 Stratofortress July 13 over the Pacific Ocean during Talisman Saber 09, a U.S. Pacific Command-directed, bilateral command post and field-training exercise designed to maintain a high level of interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces.

 

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Airmen Keep Exercise Participants Flying High Down Under
21 JULY 2009

(Royal Australian Air Force Darwin, Australia, July 21, 2009) -- The Northern Australian Outback offers many dangers to those who venture across its terrain, including six of the most venomous snakes in the world, saltwater crocodiles, and multiple poisonous insects. However, it is the young tigers, eagles and hornets in Australia's sky that are garnering much attention.

Currently, high above the threats of the Outback, U.S. Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force fighter aircraft conduct a mock air war during an exercise here designed to strengthen interoperability between the two forces. However, without the continued support of Airmen in KC-135 Stratotankers from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, the fighters would be spending more time on the ground and less time training during Exercise Talisman Saber 2009.

"We're just one piece of the puzzle," said Capt. Luke Moch, a pilot with 909th ARS. "We've been doing this for many years. This is our bread and butter, and we continue training to make it easier for our receivers."

The puzzle includes F-15 Eagles from the 67th Fighter Squadron from Kadena AB, C-17 Globemaster IIIs from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and RAAF F-18 Hornets all working together to train both countries' air forces in planning and conducting air operations intended to improve combat readiness and interoperability. One only needs to glance at the silhouette next to the boom operator during missions here to experience the joint aspects of this operation.

Flying seven to eight refueling sorties a day, the American Airmen joined by RAAF air refueling operators who are gaining more than just flying time with the U.S. boom operators.

"(The U.S. Airmen) have been fantastic and treated us like one of their own," said Warrant Officer Darrell Bent, an RAAF air refueling operator. "We wanted to see a whole bunch of receivers. It's the next best thing to being in the boom pod."

Before, during and after the flight, the RAAF operators can be seen assisting in many of the required procedures. In fact, Warrant Officer Bent said the four Aussie operators completed their training with KC-135s in the U.S. and appreciate the opportunity to help since they are still waiting on the delivery of their KC-30As.

Finishing their training just months ago, all RAAF operators remain qualified, and their familiarity with the jet has been an asset to those sitting in the boom pod.

"It is the first time most of us have actually refueled with Australians," said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Harwood, a 909th ARS instructor boom operator. "It's been a huge benefit having them with us. It has been great having another crew member aboard who can add to great aircrew resource management."

With operators gaining experience and assisting in the cargo compartment and boom pod and pilots flying alongside RAAF aircraft, Exercise Talisman Saber continues providing valuable training that will outlast its July 25 end date.

"They could refuel us one day," Captain Moch said. "This is why we practice all the techniques and procedures.

Beyond the silhouette of Staff Sgt. Kenneth Harwood, a Royal Australian Air Force F-18 receives fuel July 19 over Australia. The aircraft were participating in a mock air war over Australia as part of Exercise Talisman Saber 2009. Sergeant Harwood is 909th Air Refueling Squadron instructor boom operator from Kadena Air Base, Japan.



Three Royal Australian Air Force F-18s fly in formation alongside a KC-135 Stratotanker during Exercise Talisman Saber 2009 July 19 over Australia. The RAAF fighters received fuel from the KC-135 in order to continue a mock air war designed to improve combat readiness and interoperability between Australian and U.S. forces. The KC-135 is from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan.

 

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Warfare Center Delivers Unprecedented Capability for Coalition Exercise
UNITED STATES - 24 JULY 2009

NORCO, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona personnel lead the installation of two new range targeting systems in Australia as part of Exercise Talisman Saber 09 which runs July 6-25.

Exercise Talisman Saber is a biennial combined training activity, designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations, which will help improve U.S. and Australian Defense Force combat readiness and interoperability.

The two systems installed by NSWC Corona, a Naval Sea Systems Command field activity, provide an inaugural capability to Australia as a rapid-turnaround solution - from concept to installation within 12 months. This enhances the United States' maritime strategy goals of strengthening existing alliances and partnerships to establish favorable security conditions around the world.

"The Corona solution has provided the Australian Defense Force with a state-of-the-art weapons scoring capability and also an excellent visual range surveillance system," said Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Wing Cmdr. Ian Honey. "We can now enable realistic scored bombing training with little or no restrictions, along with high-end live, virtual and constructive simulation services for joint and combined forces. Due to its size, the range has created unparalleled flexibility in operational training for all types of aircraft."

NSWC Corona provided the RAAF with an integrated two-system solution that has never been built before in Australia, and it gives the RAAF unprecedented capability to calculate target accuracy within one meter.

"The two systems Corona installs on training ranges complement each other," said Corona's lead engineer on the project, Joerg Nowak. "One is called the Target Area Safety Surveillance System (TASSS) that allows the range control officer to do a remote scan of the area and view the incoming aircraft on a wide angle for safety purposes. The second one, the Weapon Impact Scoring System (WISS), is a teleoptical system where two cameras look at the same locations simultaneously doing a triangulation reference to score the ordnance drops from aircraft."

NSWC Corona has engineered and improved the WISS and TASS systems during the last 30 years and now installs and maintains 106 systems around the world for the Navy and Air Force. The U.S. owns the system, and Australia is the latest nation to install it.

NSWC Corona serves as the Navy's only independent assessment agent and is responsible for gauging the warfighting capability of ships and aircraft, analyzing missile defense systems and assessing the adequacy of Navy personnel training.

PACIFIC OCEAN (July 16, 2009) An F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Diamondbacks, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 launches off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington is participating in Talisman Saber 09, a biennial, combined exercise designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined operations, which will improve interoperability between Australian and U.S. forces while promoting security and stability in the region.

 

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Talisman Saber airpower offers command success
UNITED STATES - 24 JULY 2009

HICKAM U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii -- The 13th Air Force here was the nerve center for airpower during Talisman Saber 2009, a bilateral command post and field-training exercise between U.S. and Australian forces that concluded July 25.

The two-week exercise, held jointly by U.S. Pacific Command and the Australian Defence Force, focused on crisis-action planning and execution of contingency response operations. It was designed to maintain a high level of interoperability between U.S. and Australian force.

Talisman Saber 2009 included more than 10,000 Australian land and naval forces and 20,000 U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps servicemembers training in both Australia and the United States.

"The partnership we share with our Australian allies extend more than 200 years and includes every major conflict," said Brig. Gen. Doug Owens, vice commander of the 13th Air Force and the exercise's Combined Forces Air Component Commander. "Talisman Saber helps us train and integrate our forces for tomorrow's fight."

The field-training exercise portion of Talisman Saber 2009 was concentrated in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton in Central Queensland, as well as the Townsville Field Training Area near Townsville, Australia, where U.S. and Australian forces conducted land, sea and air training.

"It was a large, complex and challenging exercise," said Australian Wing Commander Jason Lind, the 613th Air and Space Operations Center deputy chief of the Combat Operations Division during Talisman Saber 2009.

"Exercising joint and combined interoperability over great distances was always going to be difficult and the challenges did not stop," Wing Command Ling said. "I believe it stretched many personnel, which is what exercising is all about."

The exercise relied heavily on the far reaching capacity of the 613th AOC here to conduct the bilateral command post portion of the exercise. The 613th AOC is a FALCONER weapons system, armed with five divisions: Strategy; Combat Operations; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; and Air Mobility. As a weapon system, the 613th AOC developed strategy plans and control processes necessary to employ air, space and information forces to achieve desired effects during Talisman Saber 2009.

"The AOC is a very important cog in the wheel of Talisman Saber 2009," said Wing Commander Lind. "I believe the goal of maintaining interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces was met in the AOC--we worked very well together due to our similar systems, tactics, techniques and procedures, and our cultural backgrounds. On a social level, I found my U.S. colleagues to be very friendly and accommodating in every way."

Talisman Saber is held biannually across six locations in northern and central Australia, the Coral Sea, and in Honolulu, Denver, and Suffolk, Va.

A KC-135 Stratotanker from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, refuels a C-17 Globe Master III from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii July 15. Talisman Saber 2009 is a bilateral command post and field-training exercise between U.S. and Australian forces that concluded July 25. The two-week exercise, held jointly by U.S. Pacific Command and the Australian Defence Force, focused on crisis-action planning and execution of contingency response operations.

 

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Essex Completes Successful Talisman Saber '09
UNITED STATES - 26 JULY 2009

USS ESSEX, At Sea (NNS) -- The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) successfully completed exercise Talisman Saber 2009 (TS09) July 25.

During the exercise, Essex collaborated with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on various aspects of amphibious warfare, including a full-scale, mock amphibious assault.

"This exercise has always been essential to maintaining a high level of interoperability with the Royal Australian Navy," said Capt. Brent Canady, Essex' commanding officer. "The Sailors of both countries came together once again to demonstrate each country's commitment to our great partnership."

Essex embarked more than 20 RAN sailors for the exercise to enhance cooperation across a range of mission activities, including flight deck operations, well deck operations and meteorological efforts.

"It was a fantastic opportunity to plan and execute amphibious operations with the U.S. Navy and Marines," said RAN Capt. Stephen Woodall, commander, Australian Amphibious Task Group. "The exercise allowed us to better understand how we both operate and the capabilities each of us brings to amphibious operations."

Early in the exercise, Essex Sailors opened the ship's flight deck to Royal Australian Army UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters for a series of deck landing qualifications (DLQ), further improving the cohesion between Aussie pilots and Essex landing signalmen.

"DLQs help to improve our relationship with the Australian pilots," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 1st Class (AW) Darrio Davis, Essex' flight deck leading petty officer. "It gives us a chance to practice different NATO signals and make sure everyone is on the same page."

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Cesar Salinas, an Essex flight deck chock-and-chainman from Los Angeles, helped tie down the helicopters after they landed on Essex' flight deck. The opportunity to work with foreign aircraft during DLQs was extremely educational, he said.

"It's good to get out there and work with some helicopters that I've never seen before," said Salinas. "It's a little different in the way you need to tie them down, so you need to learn quickly and stay alert."

After perfecting their landing techniques with Australian Black Hawks, the Air Department turned their focus to Essex' own arsenal of helicopters and conducted a full-scale, mock amphibious assault. The drill was a collaboration between the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's (MEU) Aviation Combat Element (ACE), Assault Craft Unit Five (ACU-5), Detachment Western Pacific, and Beachmaster Unit One (BMU-1). It maximized the ship's amphibious warfare capabilities, as hundreds of Marines were transported to the beach by landing craft, air cushioned (LCAC) vehicles and CH-53E Sea Stallion, CH-46E Sea Knight and MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters.

"It was very successful despite difficult weather conditions and a complex, challenging threat environment," said Woodall.

Those difficult weather conditions gave Essex and Australian atmospheric scientists something to keep their eyes on as the exercise progressed. While the well deck, flight deck and beach were bustling with activity, these scientists were working to support that activity from Essex' meteorological center (METOC). According to RAN Lt. Michael Jagger, U.S. and Australian weather teams shared more similarities than differences, making for a very productive work environment.

"There aren't many differences because what we do is pretty standard around the world," he said. "We use the same satellites, internet, and we all use computers, it just depends on what region of the world you happen to be in."

The Australians' knowledge of the area proved to be extremely helpful in providing information to TS09 senior coordinators.

"We operated just like we normally would," said Aerographer's Mate 1st Class (AW/SW) Aaron Wimberly. "We combined our routine procedures with their detailed knowledge of the area. Because of that, we had a dynamic, joint forecast everyday for TS09."

That collaboration proved crucial to the success of the mission, said Wimberly.

"Together, we had a joint website with weather updates, radar data and tides and currents to give to LCACs and pilots so they had a better grip on where to land," he said. "Our ability to integrate with the Sailors throughout the ship was a big reason the exercise was so successful. It truly was a team effort."

According to Woodall, the exercise did more than just enhance interoperability, it also brought the people involved closer together on a personal level.

"It was a chance to develop personal relationships that can prove invaluable should we ever be called upon to conduct short-notice contingency operations in the region, such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief or evacuation operations," said Woodall.

Talisman Saber is a biennial, combined training activity designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined operations and help improve combat readiness and interoperability between Australian and U.S. forces.

Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed U.S. Amphibious Ready Group and serves as the flagship for CTF 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with a detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

QUEENDSLAND, Australia (July 23, 2009). Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 10, assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, makes a late-afternoon run to the beach while transporting U.S. Marines and vehicles back to the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Essex is participating in Talisman Saber 09, a biennial, combined exercise designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined operations.



Archive Photo: U.S. Navy's USS Essex (LHD-2)

 

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Exercise Talisman Saber concludes
UNITED STATES - 27 JULY 2009

Officials from the 13th Air Force here were at the nerve center for airpower during Talisman Saber 2009, a bilateral command post and field-training exercise between U.S. and Australian forces that concluded July 25.

The two-week exercise, held jointly by U.S. Pacific Command and the Australian Defence Force, focused on crisis-action planning and execution of contingency response operations.

Talisman Saber 2009 included more than 10,000 Australian land and naval forces and 20,000 U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps servicemembers training in both Australia and the United States.

"The partnership we share with our Australian allies extend more than 200 years and includes every major conflict," said Brig. Gen. Douglas H. Owens, the 13th Air Force vice commander and the exercise's combined forces air component commander. "Talisman Saber helps us train and integrate our forces for tomorrow's fight."

The field-training exercise portion of Talisman Saber 2009 was concentrated in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton in Central Queensland, as well as the Townsville Field Training Area near Townsville, Australia, where U.S. and Australian forces conducted land, sea and air training.

"It was a large, complex and challenging exercise," said Australian Wing Commander Jason Lind, the 613th Air and Space Operations Center deputy chief of the Combat Operations Division during Talisman Saber 2009.

"Exercising joint and combined interoperability over great distances was always going to be difficult and the challenges did not stop," Wing Command Ling said. "I believe it stretched many personnel, which is what exercising is all about."

The exercise relied heavily on the far reaching capacity of the 613th AOC here to conduct the bilateral command post portion of the exercise. The 613th AOC is a Falconer weapons system armed with five divisions: Strategy; Combat Operations; Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; and Air Mobility. As a weapon system, the 613th AOC developed strategy plans and control processes necessary to employ air, space and information forces to achieve desired effects during Talisman Saber 2009.

"The AOC is a very important cog in the wheel of Talisman Saber 2009," Wing Commander Lind said. "I believe the goal of maintaining interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces was met in the AOC. We worked very well together due to our similar systems, tactics, techniques and procedures, and our cultural backgrounds. On a social level, I found my U.S. colleagues to be very friendly and accommodating in every way."

Talisman Saber is held biannually across six locations in northern and central Australia, the Coral Sea, and in Honolulu, Denver, and Suffolk, Va.

 

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Bombers Fly Down Under
UNITED STATES - 29 JULY 2009

ANDERSEN U.S. AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Members of the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron here completed 10 sorties flying more than 110 hours while participating in Talisman Saber 2009 July 15 through 24 over Australia.

The bilateral command post and field training exercise was designed to increase interoperability between U.S. and Australian forces.

Missions for the B-52 Stratofortresses, deployed here from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., consisted of flying 12 hours from Guam to Australian training ranges where they worked with joint and coalition forces.

"It's really a great opportunity for someone like me to get this kind of experience that will later aid me if we get the call to go fight the real fight," said 1st Lt. Ryan Egan, a 96th EBS B-52 co-pilot. "The overall experience was just incredible, to be able to talk to people from other countries who are our allies and work with them."

Lieutenant Egan was a part of the mission planning cell that planned the first six missions of the exercise. He also flew the last sortie, which concluded the B-52 participation of the exercise.

"Once a tasking order drops, we take that information that is important to us to plan the mission, so our fliers can execute the mission to the best of their capability," Lieutenant Egan said. "I pretend that I'm flying the mission (when planning it) seeing what I need to know, what players are involved, what our time on target is and when our tanking schedule is. We put all of that information together so our crews can go complete the mission.

"We integrated with their forces down there," he said. "(We worked with) joint aircraft that were involved in the exercise and also with Royal Australian Air Force (personnel) on the ground for air to ground strikes, and then we flew back to Guam."

The lieutenant said the exercise helped him see how each of the joint and coalition services combines to complete a mission.

"Getting to see the big picture is really helpful to someone like me," he said. "It was a great chance to work with our sister services and see how they do business, and to see how everything comes together."

Lieutenant Egan also added that participating in the exercise was a chance for the world to see the capabilities of the B-52.

"It's a proving ground, not only to prove to ourselves that we are capable of doing this kind of mission, but also proving to the world that we can deliver decisive combat airpower," he said.

The flight crew for the final sortie to Australia all felt that the exercise was a great demonstration of the U.S. Pacific Command commander's continuous bomber presence.

"We're showing that we can take off from anywhere and drop bombs on target anytime, anywhere and return back to anywhere we need to," said 1st Lt. Mehul Brahmbhatt, a 96th EBS B-52 navigator. "I liked the ability to get spun up and work with the coalition forces, and expand our presence in the area of responsibility."

Approximately 50 aviators from the 96th EBS supported the exercise.

"It's quite a feat getting an exercise like this off the ground," said Capt. Sean Stavely, a 96th EBS B-52 aircraft commander. "Talisman Saber is essentially a large-force exercise in Australia including many joint and coalition forces, where we join to fight together and sharpen our tactical sword in a joint atmosphere."

The exercise focused on crisis action planning and execution of contingency response operations, he said.

"Our purpose was to demonstrate what we can do with the B-52," Captain Stavely said. "Offensive counter air platforms will go out and take care of the 'bad guys' while we go in as the bomb droppers, the strikers, and put our bombs on target after the 'bad guys' are taken care of."

The long-duration flight was one of the aspects Captain Stavely said he looked forward to in participating in the joint and coalition exercise of more than 30,000 servicemembers.

"I enjoyed demonstrating our global strike capability," he said. "Taking off from Guam, going somewhere a long distance away, putting our bombs on target, and then coming back to the base that we came from is a demonstration of our continuous bomber presence on Guam."

Talisman Saber 2009 concluded for the B-52 aircrews with a mass debrief of the exercise to talk about the lessons learned, he said.

A B-52 Stratofortress from the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron takes off July 24 from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The B-52s completed 10 sorties flying more than 110 hours while participating in Talisman Saber 2009, a joint and coalition exercise that ran July 15 through 24. The B-52s are deployed from Barksdale AFB, La., to support U.S. Pacific Command's continuous bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region.