SMOKY HILL AIR NATIONAL GUARD RANGE, Kan. – Navy models from throughout the USA converged in Kansas in June for Train Gunslinger, a large-scale joint train to check air and floor fight capabilities in a contested setting.
The 2 major gamers within the train have been the U.S. Marine Reserves’ 4th Marine Plane Wing and the Kansas Air Nationwide Guard’s 134th Air Management Squadron, assigned to the 184th Wing at McConnell Air Power Base.
The Marines’ total mission was to follow Expeditionary Superior Base Operations, an idea much like the World Warfare II island-hopping marketing campaign. The purpose is to determine small bases of assist on island chains within the Indo-Pacific area.
The Kansas Air Nationwide Guard’s mission was to coach for Agile Fight Employment, an Air Power technique requiring Airmen to be able to execute missions rapidly in unpredictable methods, reply quickly to enemy actions, and conduct operations with joint and coalition forces companions.
The first location for the train was Smoky Hill Air Nationwide Guard Vary close to Salina.
The idea of Train Gunslinger started a couple of 12 months in the past when Air Nationwide Guard Lt. Col. Herman Norwood, former commander of the 134th ACS, and Marine Reserves Lt. Col. Nicholas Cruz, former operations officer, 4th MAW, mentioned joint coaching alternatives.
Norwood really useful an train at Smoky Hill Air Nationwide Guard Vary. They named it Gunslinger as a hat tip to Kansas’ Wild West heritage and as a reference to the numerous bullets and rockets that will be used.
Each officers moved to new positions earlier than the train, however their groups took it from there.
“We bought collectively and talked about how ground-based command and management profession fields weren’t essentially getting the most effective coaching, we really feel, that’s going to assist for the subsequent battle that we go into,” stated Tech. Sgt. Hunter Thurston, weapons officer, 134th ACS. “It began out as a ground-based command and management train primarily supported by logistics and mobility, plus fighters and tankers.”
Because the planning progressed, extra models noticed worth within the alternative to coach as a joint power. The target rapidly modified from ground-based command and management coaching to a large-scale power employment train.
“We’re not solely getting good coaching for ground-based controllers but in addition getting some worth added for fighters, helicopters, logistics and mobility,” stated Thurston.
Greater than 1,300 Marines from 11 coaching facilities throughout the USA deployed all through Kansas, together with Nice Bend, Salina, Wichita and Wilson Lake.
The 134th ACS, working from McConnell Air Power Base, was the first ground-based management unit, talking instantly with aircrews to take care of security, check-in/check-out procedures, and aerial refueling missions.
Marine personnel deployed a tactical operations heart close to Nice Bend, offering capabilities much like the 134th ACS. Moreover, U.S. Air Power E-3 Sentries from Tinker Air Power Base, Oklahoma, supplied command and management from the sky via airborne warning and management programs.
The three command and management entities took turns advising aircrews throughout fight missions, figuring out pleasant forces and enemy threats.
“The primary mission of the train was a defensive counter-air mission,” stated Thurston. “We have been controlling the entire F-18s in opposition to the F-5 aggressors the Marines introduced. The 134th was liable for air-to-air management, giving image calls of what the adversary formation regarded like from an air perspective, after which giving security point-outs in addition to tactical air point-outs.”
All through the train, Marine floor forces coordinated air assaults, insertion and extraction, and medical evacuation missions with fighters and helicopters from the Air Power, Marines and Army.
“Plane flew into our air house, hit the tankers, and engaged in air-to-air fight,” stated Maj. Scott Blechle, director of operations, Detachment 1, Smoky Hill ANG Vary. “As soon as they have been accomplished with that portion, they flew down into the decrease air house the place Marine air controllers took over, handed them off to joint terminal assault controllers, after which JTACs began working shut air assist right here on the vary.”
Smoky Hill ANG Vary is the most important and busiest weapons vary within the Air Nationwide Guard. The 34,000-acre vary, with operational air house from Salina to western Kansas, is operated and maintained by 35 personnel assigned to Detachment 1 of the 184th Wing.
“The Marines have been so impressed by the services at Smoky Hill and the way cheap it was to coach there that they’re already taking a look at doing future coaching occasions on the vary,” stated Lt. Col. Joe Deeds, director of staff-Air, Kansas Nationwide Guard.
The personnel at Smoky Hill ANG Vary labored day and evening to ensure the operations ran easily. They repaired roads broken throughout missions, extinguished grass fires, and minimize fireplace breaks. Additionally they managed all of the scheduling for air belongings and floor actions to make sure the security of all train contributors.
Though Train Gunslinger started as a few squadrons eager to study from one another, it grew to one thing extra important.
“Train Gunslinger supplied a singular alternative for Air Nationwide Guard and Marine Reserves personnel to coordinate air operations with multi-service and multiplatform aircrews,” stated Col. Jason Knobbe, commander, 184th Wing. “This joint train, which included energetic, Reserve, and Guard models from across the nation, showcased the skills and teamwork of the joint power and the capabilities of the 184th Wing, Group McConnell, and Smoky Hill Air Nationwide Guard Vary.”
