The 104th pilots simulated tactics of opposing nations, engaging other fighter jets, during training scenarios over the deserts of Nevada.
Staff Sergeant Sara Jean Jacobsen and Master Sergeant Mark E. Lockwood, of the Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing, evaluate an F-15 jet fuel starter at Nellis Air Force Base last week.By ANTHONY M. MUTTI
LAS VEGAS – Eighty-eight members of the Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing from Westfield, and five of the unit’s F-15 Eagle fighter jets completed two weeks of training at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.
The Air Guard unit, including members from Western Massachusetts, played the role of the aggressor in a training exercise for the Air Force Weapons School. They returned home to Western Massachusetts on Saturday.
The 104th pilots simulated tactics of opposing nations, engaging other F-15s, F-16 Falcons and some of the Air Force’s newest fighters, the F-22 Raptors, during intense training scenarios over the deserts of Nevada. The scenarios are part of the practical learning experience at the weapons school.
The mission of the weapons school is to teach graduate-level instructor courses. It is considered the world’s most advanced training in weapons and tactics for combat air forces.
The 104th volunteered for the deployment.
“Since they have been closing bases around the country, there are less and less people who are able to come out here and support the weapons school,” said Lt. Col. David “Moon” Halasi-kun, of Westfield, a member of the 104th’s 131st Fighter Squadron who coordinated the deployment. “We volunteered because we understand the importance of supporting the weapons officers and the weapons school.”
With less than a month to plan and deploy the personnel, the 104th scrambled to put together a successful package.
“Considering the short notice; we got the people and gear here. It went pretty smooth,” said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Barkyoumb, also of Westfield, of the 104th Fighter Wing’s Logististics Readiness Squadron. “The Nellis support center has been great to work with.”
In addition to supporting the weapons school, the deployment also provided a training opportunity for the Guard pilots and ground crews.
“There is actually a lot of training to be had because even when you’re pretending to be the bad guy you can still exercise all of your radar systems, and all of your weapons systems, just like you were a good guy,” said Halasi-kun. “The difference is that we have to employ using red air tactics – like we are a threat country pilot who is very heavily dependent on ground control, as opposed to western tactics, which are very autonomous.”
The “red air missions” provide the pilots practical experience of fighting against realistic adversaries and reinforce the fundamentals taught in the classroom. It also allows the pilots an inside view of how potential enemies may fly in combat, said Halasi-kun.
“It’s been very good for the 104th to come out here on a couple of different levels, not just the flying training, but here at Nellis there are a lot of different agencies that we get to interface with,” he added. He called it “a huge learning opportunity for us.”
Throughout the two-week engagement, aircraft maintenance and other support personnel were critical. Though manned for only one shift, they covered a 15-hour flying window each day, launching four aircraft each morning and night.
Anthony M. Mutti, of Springfield, is a technical sergeant with the Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing, based at Barnes Municipal Airport in Westfield.