353rd CTS/RD provides threat awareness

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rachelle Coleman
  • 354 Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  During Red Flag-Alaska and Northern Edge exercises blue forces pilots practice combating mock enemy-style air and ground targets. 

During exercises the Aggressor aircraft of the 18th Aggressor Squadron pose as air threats, while the ground threats are built, maintained and placed by the 353rd Combat Training Squadron Range Division here, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. 

The range division manages the Pacific Alaskan Range Complex. The PARC is the world's largest military airspace at approximately 66,000 square miles. The range division is responsible for all PARC upgrades and repairs. They support visiting teams of government, military and contracted personnel, in their efforts to provide replacement electronic systems, enhanced infrastructures and target-related upgrades. 

The range division staff also directly supports each RF-A and NE by providing personnel to assist with visiting unit on-range bed-down, and any follow-on logistics such as refueling operations these units may require. 

"Part of what we do is going out on the range and setting up a look, placing scuds and camouflage to create a launch platform," said Tech. Sgt. Frank Deans, the chief quality assurance evaluator for the PARC. 

Scuds are ballistic missiles; actual scuds used by enemy forces can be armed with chemical weapons. Scuds are usually targeted at areas with civilian populations because they are very inaccurate but they can be very destructive. 

Sergeant Deans is out on the range typically every day making sure the scuds are in place during Red Flag-Alaska and Northern Edge exercises. His job is to maintain and ensure the quality of the threat systems. 

"What we do here is special to this base," said Technical Sgt. Jason Moody, quality assurance evaluator for range radar systems. 

As quality assurance here at Eielson Air Force Base, the range division is tasked to perform projects like providing replacement electronic systems, enhanced infrastructures, and target-related upgrades in support of the RF-A and NE exercises. 

As non-commissioned officers in the range division, Sergeants Moody and Deans are important factors in the safety of the exercises: they are responsible for personally surveying each target to ensure that no personnel or equipment are present just before exercise aircraft use weapons. 

During Red Flag-Alaska Sergeants Moody and Deans move scuds to different locations according to training scenarios for the day. There are currently two scuds, one on each main range. The two main ranges are the Yukon and the Delta, the only live drop areas in the PARC. 

"There is a military requirement to manage, if not eliminate, emerging targets," said Steve Curley, an engineering consultant, "especially targets of mass destruction." 

Mr. Curley provides consultations for range projects and systems. He works with the 354th Fighter Wing intelligence flight to find out where to place the targets. For an exercise scenario for RF-A 09-1, two scuds were placed in two primary areas to provide targeting for pilots. Their location also allows two separate scenarios to take place simultaneously for maximum training effectiveness.