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505th Command and Control Wing News

Virtual Flag 09-3 prepares warfighters for deployment

  • Published
  • By Noel Getlin
  • 505th CCW Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  More than 380 military personnel from 21 locations in the United States and abroad, and 14 types of aircraft participated in Virtual Flag 09-3 from June 29 to July 2 at the Distributed Missions Operation Center here.

The five-day exercise provided live, virtual and constructive integrated training for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Reserve and Air National Guard units that fight together with joint weapons assets.

"Our goal is total force integration," said Virtual Flag 09-3 Exercise Director Maj. David Pafford. "We offer the warfighter a one-of-a-kind training opportunity to train for the fight with those they join in combat."

Virtual Flag exercises link geographically separated live, virtual and constructive weapons assets in a shared joint synthetic theater environment. The exercises are facilitated here at the Distributed Mission Operations Center, run by the 705th Combat Training Squadron, part of 505th Command and Control Wing headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The squadron develops, integrates and delivers virtual air, space and cyber warfare environment exercises for combat training and testing.

Lt. Col. Troy Molendyke, 705th CTS commander, explained that the exercise trained everyone involved in military air operations, from the decision maker in the Combined Air and Space Operations Center down to the shooter and the joint terminal attack controller on the ground. They have nearly 40,000 entities involved in Virtual Flag exercises.

"This is a Theater Air Control System exercise," said Colonel Molendyke. "We span operational- and tactical-level warfare."

Virtual Flag exercises, which are held four times a year, provide a unique opportunity to test, practice and evaluate command and control.

"Command and control, or C2, is the discipline that brings all other military actions together," said Major Pafford. "Throughout this exercise, commanders practiced a wide array of modern military C2 applications."

While the exercise was not a mission rehearsal, warfighters trained using realistic combat scenarios like those they may face during deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Using simulators, communications and network connections, pilots flew bombers, fighters and AWACS from Hawaii, Germany, Alaska, and several locations in the Continental United States without ever leaving their home base.

Retired Lt. Gen. Eugene D. Santarelli, senior adviser for the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, said this was the first time the CAOC was run from Davis-Monthan's home Air Force Base in Arizona.

"We've taken the training to them - and at immense savings," the general said. "The AOC training offers the opportunity to integrate intelligence function with operational functions like bombers and fighters. They learn how to put all these assets together to attack these dynamic targets."

Virtual Flag 09-3 also introduced other firsts in the exercise. The Predator Reaper Operator Sensor Trainer unmanned aerial systems software trainer was incorporated into the exercise for the first time. UAS pilots and sensor operators from the Air National Guard also trained in the exercise for the first time, and the feeds were linked in real time to the Distributed Common Ground Systems, which processes, analyzes and distributes data from aerial reconnaissance aircraft and sensors.

JTACS trained on two simulators, the Forward Air Control simulator and the Indirect Fire and Forward Air Control Trainer. The sims aren't new, but for the first time, a laser designator fires PDU was used. When the laser is pointed at a target, it can provide precise GPS coordinates to be used by smart weapons or to help pilots in the air accurately pinpoint a target.

"We're the only ones to use digital close-air support in the DMO all the way from top to bottom," Colonel Molendyke said.

At the end of the exercise window each day, participants debriefed first with other members accomplishing their mission objectives (such as C2 or ISR) and then in a mass debriefing connected by video teleconference. The Operations Assessment cell experts tracked exercise activities down to the individual; what they did, why, whether the action worked and whether they would do something differently. They also looked for teaching opportunities that would foster understanding to the broad audience.

"If you're not going to debrief to the extent where you get down to the minute details, what's the point," said Maj. Michele Boyko, who lead the OA cell. "The whole point of the exercise is to train and learn."

The exercise drew a number of distinguished visitors from the U.S. joint forces as well as coalition forces. Some came to observe the training that their units receive at Virtual Flag, and others looked for ways to improve their own virtual exercises.

Navy Capt. Trey Mitchell, commander of the Tactical Training Group Pacific, came out to observe how certain assets performed in the exercise and how realistic the simulations were. The Navy puts on a similar virtual exercise, Joint Fleet Synthetic Training, which exercises sea and land assets.

Col. Scott Forest, vice commander, 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla., came to observe simulation for the AWACS.

"The guys at Tinker will be going to the theater very soon," Colonel Forest said. "It's a great exercise. They will be better warfighters for it."

Australian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and an Airborne Warning Attack Systems crew from the United Kingdom also participated in the exercise, which set the stage for the Coalition Virtual Flag 09-4 schedule for Sept. 21-25.

The Canadians will also take part in that exercise making it the first Four-Eyes Coalition Virtual Flag exercise.

VF 09-4 will be the first time that networks, systems and simulators from foreign countries will plug into the exercise. During VF 09-3, the Australians and Brits used U.S. systems.

"Canada will bring the CF-18 and a JTAC sim, the United Kingdom will bring the Typhoon and Tornado, and Australia will bring the F-18 sim to the network," said Major Boyko, who is the exercise director for the upcoming VF 09-4. "Each country will also participate from various other sims in other locations here in the United States, such as the AOC and JTAC sims in our facility. Also, we're sort of staging a "mini" coalition JTAC conference, having all nations participate as JTACs from here."

The exercise is considered so important by Canadian Forces, that they purchased F-18 simulators that specifically can plug into the exercise.

"Canada most likely won't go to war alone," said Lt. Col. Norm Gagne, Canadian Forces Air Command, who was here to observe. "This is an important step for us. The goal is to get connectivity in place to grow and expand with the exercise."

All participants agreed that for total force integration is important in order to train like they fight.

"A lot of younger aviators have never flown with coalition pilots until they're in theater in a real world situation," said Major Boyko. "We never have enough live coalition training and that's how we are going to war. If we don't learn it here, then where?"

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Virtual Flag 09-3 prepares warfighters for deployment

  • Published
  • By Noel Getlin
  • 505th CCW Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  More than 380 military personnel from 21 locations in the United States and abroad, and 14 types of aircraft participated in Virtual Flag 09-3 from June 29 to July 2 at the Distributed Missions Operation Center here.

The five-day exercise provided live, virtual and constructive integrated training for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Reserve and Air National Guard units that fight together with joint weapons assets.

"Our goal is total force integration," said Virtual Flag 09-3 Exercise Director Maj. David Pafford. "We offer the warfighter a one-of-a-kind training opportunity to train for the fight with those they join in combat."

Virtual Flag exercises link geographically separated live, virtual and constructive weapons assets in a shared joint synthetic theater environment. The exercises are facilitated here at the Distributed Mission Operations Center, run by the 705th Combat Training Squadron, part of 505th Command and Control Wing headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The squadron develops, integrates and delivers virtual air, space and cyber warfare environment exercises for combat training and testing.

Lt. Col. Troy Molendyke, 705th CTS commander, explained that the exercise trained everyone involved in military air operations, from the decision maker in the Combined Air and Space Operations Center down to the shooter and the joint terminal attack controller on the ground. They have nearly 40,000 entities involved in Virtual Flag exercises.

"This is a Theater Air Control System exercise," said Colonel Molendyke. "We span operational- and tactical-level warfare."

Virtual Flag exercises, which are held four times a year, provide a unique opportunity to test, practice and evaluate command and control.

"Command and control, or C2, is the discipline that brings all other military actions together," said Major Pafford. "Throughout this exercise, commanders practiced a wide array of modern military C2 applications."

While the exercise was not a mission rehearsal, warfighters trained using realistic combat scenarios like those they may face during deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Using simulators, communications and network connections, pilots flew bombers, fighters and AWACS from Hawaii, Germany, Alaska, and several locations in the Continental United States without ever leaving their home base.

Retired Lt. Gen. Eugene D. Santarelli, senior adviser for the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, said this was the first time the CAOC was run from Davis-Monthan's home Air Force Base in Arizona.

"We've taken the training to them - and at immense savings," the general said. "The AOC training offers the opportunity to integrate intelligence function with operational functions like bombers and fighters. They learn how to put all these assets together to attack these dynamic targets."

Virtual Flag 09-3 also introduced other firsts in the exercise. The Predator Reaper Operator Sensor Trainer unmanned aerial systems software trainer was incorporated into the exercise for the first time. UAS pilots and sensor operators from the Air National Guard also trained in the exercise for the first time, and the feeds were linked in real time to the Distributed Common Ground Systems, which processes, analyzes and distributes data from aerial reconnaissance aircraft and sensors.

JTACS trained on two simulators, the Forward Air Control simulator and the Indirect Fire and Forward Air Control Trainer. The sims aren't new, but for the first time, a laser designator fires PDU was used. When the laser is pointed at a target, it can provide precise GPS coordinates to be used by smart weapons or to help pilots in the air accurately pinpoint a target.

"We're the only ones to use digital close-air support in the DMO all the way from top to bottom," Colonel Molendyke said.

At the end of the exercise window each day, participants debriefed first with other members accomplishing their mission objectives (such as C2 or ISR) and then in a mass debriefing connected by video teleconference. The Operations Assessment cell experts tracked exercise activities down to the individual; what they did, why, whether the action worked and whether they would do something differently. They also looked for teaching opportunities that would foster understanding to the broad audience.

"If you're not going to debrief to the extent where you get down to the minute details, what's the point," said Maj. Michele Boyko, who lead the OA cell. "The whole point of the exercise is to train and learn."

The exercise drew a number of distinguished visitors from the U.S. joint forces as well as coalition forces. Some came to observe the training that their units receive at Virtual Flag, and others looked for ways to improve their own virtual exercises.

Navy Capt. Trey Mitchell, commander of the Tactical Training Group Pacific, came out to observe how certain assets performed in the exercise and how realistic the simulations were. The Navy puts on a similar virtual exercise, Joint Fleet Synthetic Training, which exercises sea and land assets.

Col. Scott Forest, vice commander, 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla., came to observe simulation for the AWACS.

"The guys at Tinker will be going to the theater very soon," Colonel Forest said. "It's a great exercise. They will be better warfighters for it."

Australian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and an Airborne Warning Attack Systems crew from the United Kingdom also participated in the exercise, which set the stage for the Coalition Virtual Flag 09-4 schedule for Sept. 21-25.

The Canadians will also take part in that exercise making it the first Four-Eyes Coalition Virtual Flag exercise.

VF 09-4 will be the first time that networks, systems and simulators from foreign countries will plug into the exercise. During VF 09-3, the Australians and Brits used U.S. systems.

"Canada will bring the CF-18 and a JTAC sim, the United Kingdom will bring the Typhoon and Tornado, and Australia will bring the F-18 sim to the network," said Major Boyko, who is the exercise director for the upcoming VF 09-4. "Each country will also participate from various other sims in other locations here in the United States, such as the AOC and JTAC sims in our facility. Also, we're sort of staging a "mini" coalition JTAC conference, having all nations participate as JTACs from here."

The exercise is considered so important by Canadian Forces, that they purchased F-18 simulators that specifically can plug into the exercise.

"Canada most likely won't go to war alone," said Lt. Col. Norm Gagne, Canadian Forces Air Command, who was here to observe. "This is an important step for us. The goal is to get connectivity in place to grow and expand with the exercise."

All participants agreed that for total force integration is important in order to train like they fight.

"A lot of younger aviators have never flown with coalition pilots until they're in theater in a real world situation," said Major Boyko. "We never have enough live coalition training and that's how we are going to war. If we don't learn it here, then where?"