Airborne: A Guided Tour of an Airborne Task Force

by Tom Clancy

  One immediate impression that you get from watching the C-17 flight crews is how little their hands are on the throttles and stick. Other than during takeoff and landing, most of their interaction with the flight-management system is through the controls running across the top of the control console and the various multi-function displays (MFDs). This is much more like that of a “glass cockpit” airliner like a Boeing 777 or Airbus than, say, a C-5 or C-141. The automated flight controls of the C-17 mean that the crews have to be trained in a whole new science: flight crew resource management. This means that with only two crewmen on the flight deck, there is a lot of work during high-stress situations (like takeoff and landing) that must be effectively distributed. However, the USAF seems to be doing an excellent job with this, and I felt very safe and comfortable throughout the flight. I was also impressed with the ease with which Christina was able to handle all of the loadmaster jobs around the aircraft. Thanking Tim, Eric, Doug, and Christina, we hopped aboard the crew van for our ride back to the parking lot and our cars. It had been a memorable night.

  Charleston AFB, South Carolina, Monday, September 16th, 1996

  After a pleasant Sunday touring Fort Sumter and downtown Charleston, we went back to fly with another crew from the 437th. This time, Christa, John, and I were assigned to take part in a two-ship airdrop mission that would take us up to North Field and then Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. We would fly with a 14th AS crew aboard an FY-94 C-17 (940065, also known as P-20). We would fly as wingman (call sign “Moose-12”) to a 17th AS C-17 (930600/P-16, the same bird we flew on the previous flight; this time their call sign was ”Moose-11”), each carrying a single airdrop pallet, which we would drop at Little Rock AFB. For this mission, along with 2nd Lieutenant Baker, we were joined by Lieutenant Glen Roberts, the deputy in the Charleston Public Affairs Office.

  We all showed up on the flight line around noon, since this was to be a long day of flying and training. Once again, I buckled into one of the jump seats, and we took off around 1230 hours/12:30 PM. Once again, we headed out over the city and Atlantic Ocean, and then turned north to run up the coast. Today, though, was hardly the clear flying weather of the previous mission. Overnight, a pair of weather fronts had collided in a late-summer storm front that was extending from Texas to South Carolina. The air was filled with puffy clouds that looked like cathedrals in the sky. During our run up the coast, the flight crew engaged the Station Keeping Equipment (SKE) systems, which automatically tracked the P-16 ahead of us, and then directed the autopilot to fly in an exact 1,000-foot/305-meter trail position. This gear is one of the keys to a successful precision airdrop, and can even work among different kinds of aircraft (C-130, C-141, C-5, or C-17) within a formation. What made this even more impressive is that all of the SKE functions are controlled and displayed through the color MFDs on the control consoles.

  A C-17A Globemaster III, call sign “Moose-11,” on a flight to a Little Rock AFB in Arkansas. This photo was taken from the cockpit of “Moose-12,” the second aircraft in the flight.

  JOHN D. GRESHAM

  By 1300 hours/1:00 PM, we had passed Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and had turned inland towards North Field. This time, we would do a simulated airdrop as practice for the real thing a little later at Little Rock AFB. While Christa I stayed up front, John and Glen moved down to the cargo compartment to watch the loadmasters at work. They strapped in and watched as the loadmasters (there were two today) prepared for the simulated drops. Then, at 1340 hours/1:40 PM, as the flight crew lined up on the field, the loadmasters opened the rear ramp, and executed the training drop precisely on the planned target. Buttoning up the rear ramp, the crews turned the two aircraft of “Moose” Flight southeast towards Little Rock, Arkansas. During the two-and-a-half-hour run to Arkansas, John took the opportunity to get some sleep in one of the crew rest bunks behind the flight deck. Despite his large size (at 6’ 3”/1.9 meters tall, John is a big guy!), he looked terribly comfortable, and told me later that he slept well.

  By 1600/4:00 PM, Little Rock AFB was in sight, and we headed down to do the training drop. This time, Christa joined Glen, John, and the two loadmasters in the rear of the aircraft as the pallet was readied for dropping. The flight crews dropped the two aircraft down to 500 feet/152 meters above ground, and the loadmasters opened the rear ramp for the drop. However, as the two aircraft reached the drop point, the ugly weather that we had been skirting finally reached out and touched us. Both aircraft passed through a small wind shear (downdraft) directly over the drop point, causing them to go slightly nose-down for a moment. This slowed the gravity-powered pallets’ travel down the ramp, and both went several hundred yards/meters long due to the delay. In spite of the deployment delay, both pallets dropped safely within the base perimeter, and were quickly recovered. Following the drop, both aircraft lined up in the Little Rock AFB pattern, and did a very-short-field landing on one of the runways. We then taxied over to the flight line, and shut down for a while.

  A 437th Airlift Wing C-17A drops a cargo pallet over Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. A fully loaded C- 17 might drop several dozen such packages on a resupply mission for the 82nd Airborne Division.

  JOHN D. GRESHAM

  As I mentioned in the previous chapter, Little Rock is one of the largest C-130 bases in the USAF, and the lines of Hercules transports seemed to go on for miles. In fact, there are almost eighty C-130s assigned here, to the four ASs of the 314th AW.

  Along with the 314th, Little Rock AFB houses a special C-130 training unit, the USAF Combat Aerial Delivery School. This is a special post-graduate-level course designed to provide squadrons with pilots trained in the latest operational tactics and concepts for use with the Hercules. During our short stay at Little Rock, one of the C-17 crews gave the current class a familiarization briefing on the Globemaster, since the Hercules crews are going to see so much of the C-17 over the next few years. Then, after a quick run to the base Burger King for a snack, we headed back to our aircraft for the flight home.

  Already, the weather was taking on an ominous look as we got aboard the P-20. The line of thunderstorms was now between us and Charleston, so at some point in our flight we would have to penetrate the spectacular-looking thunderheads. By 1930 hours/7:30 PM, we had launched out of Little Rock, and headed east towards home. As we settled onto our course at about 30,000 feet/9,144 meters altitude, the line of thunderheads was off to our right, about 50 miles/80 kilometers south of us. On the Guard channel of the radio, we could hear the sounds of numerous civilian airliners that were having a tough time penetrating the line of storms, and the spectacular cloud-to-cloud lightning was proof that we might have a bumpy ride ahead of us. The front was shifting to the north a bit now, and airline traffic all through the southeastern U.S. was being affected by the powerful storm cells.

  As we approached the towering clouds, the flight crew switched on the weather/navigation radar in the nose of the aircraft, and began to look for a route through the storm. Finally, after deciding upon what looked like a “thin” spot in the storm line, we all tightened up our five-point restraint harnesses and hung on. Surprisingly, the ride was not as bad as had been expected. While rough, the turbulence was not nearly as bad as on some 737s that I have flown in over mountains. However, as we got into the heart of the storm, the clouds closed in, making it look like the inside of a cow outside. Suddenly, there appeared the intermittent flashing of lightning, making the cockpit look like the inside of a disco. Even more ominous was the appearance of Saint Elmo’s fire (a static electrical buildup on the airframe), causing a sickly blue-green glow on the cockpit window frames and edges of the wings. Then, just as suddenly as a lightning flash, we were out of the storm line less than 200 miles/322 kilometers out from Charleston AFB.

  A fleet of C-130s on the flight line at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. Four squadrons of Hercules medium transports call this base home.

  JOHN D. GRESHAM

  The heavy weather had also been bothering our friends
from 1st Brigade up at Fort Bragg. Their pre-JRTC deployment training included a number of brigade-sized drops in preparation for the planned airborne entry into Fort Polk the following month. One of these had been scheduled for this evening, but a few things had gone wrong. When the storm line moved north into North Carolina, the brigade was already airborne in a group of 437th-supplied C-141B Starlifters and 23rd Wing C-130Es. The weather began to close in, and four of the big transports had to abort their drops and run for cover from the storm. The Starlifters, loaded with over 420 1st Brigade troopers (as well as one surprise guest), were diverted by the AMC tanker/airlift control center at Scott AFB, Illinois, back to Charleston AFB until the storms over North Carolina moved on. As it turned out, we were about to get a first-hand update on the brigade’s training activities, as well as an invitation.

  As we got clearance from the air traffic controllers to line up for an approach, we heard about the divert of the four big transports with their load of paratroops. Since the skies over Charleston AFB were getting decidedly crowded, our crew called for a straight-in approach, and we arrived a few minutes after the Starlifters. After thanking the flight crew for a fine day (and night) of flying, we headed over to the hanger where the paratroops were being kept out of the weather. By now, the rain had passed, and the air was warm and humid after the passage of the storm line.

  As we pulled up to the entrance, we saw the 437th AW commander, Brigadier General (he was an one-star selectee at the time) Steven Roser, as well as a tall and familiar figure standing outside. General Crocker, the commander of the 82nd Airborne Division! Stunned at seeing John and me, he made a comment about our “being everywhere,” and explained what had happened.

  He had been flying with 1 st Brigade when his aircraft had been diverted (along with the other three), as the weather closed in. Now, they were waiting to get back aboard for a drop later that night. As he told the story, a truck pulled up with water and MREs for the 420 troopers who were trying to get some rest inside the brightly lit hanger.

  After about fifteen minutes of chatting, General Roser got a call over his radio that the weather was clearing, and that it soon would be time to reload C-141s for the ride back up to Fort Bragg. Bidding us a good evening, General Crocker invited John and me to join 1st Brigade on their JRTC deployment the following month. Then and there as we watched the four Starlifters taxi out for takeoff, we decided that we would.

  For now, though, our visit to the 437th had come to an end. Though it had not been possible to take the long trans-Pacific flight that had been planned, the trip to Charleston had been well worth the visit. In fact, we probably saw more of day-to-day C-17/C-141 operations than we would have otherwise. The 437th is the Air Force’s premier heavy-airlift wing, and they are doing a fantastic job of getting the C-17 into service. Keep watching the news; you’re going to see a lot of them!

  Fort Polk: The Joint Readiness Training Center

  The folks in central Louisiana call it “the low country,” a mass of slow-running rivers and swamplands, with alligators, wild pigs, and horses, as well as nearly every kind of poisonous snake that can be found on the North American continent. Whatever you choose to call it, Fort Polk is as far away from modern civilization as you are going to find in America today. Over 50 miles/80 kilometers from the nearest interstate highway, this World War II-era base is home to the finest infantry training center in the world: the U.S. Army Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).

  Probably more than a few of you reading this are thinking, “Yeah, Clancy, this is just another force-on-force training center like the U.S. Army National Training Center (NTC) or the USAF Red/Green Flag exercises at Nellis AFB, Nevada, except that it’s for light infantry forces.” Well, actually you would be partially correct. Yes, the JRTC is a force-on-force kind of training center, and it is for infantry forces. However, there is a lot more to JRTC than just a glorified NTC, and that is the story we will tell you about here.

  JRTC originally started up at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, in 1987, and was moved to Fort Polk in 1993. Up until that time, Fort Polk had been home to the Cold War-era 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized). However, the end of that conflict and the reorganization/realignment of the Army resulted in the 5th moving to Fort Hood (where it was initially reflagged as the 2nd Armored Division, and later as the 4th Infantry Division [Mechanized]), and the decision to move JRTC from Fort Chaffee. Since that time, millions of dollars have been spent to turn JRTC into the most intense and realistic warfare training center in history. What makes JRTC different are the subtle nuances that are added to the training experience, as compared to NTC or Red/Green Flag. For example, NTC and the USAF “Flags” usually presume a high-intensity, “hot” war situation that has already broken out, without any real political context or rationale for the troops to understand. JRTC is capable of simulating not only “hot” war scenarios, but also low-intensity /insurgency conflicts, counterterrorism operations, and even peace and relief operations. The key to this has been an open-minded and practical approach to finding new ways to simulate equipment and experiences that soldiers in the real world would regularly encounter. These include things like:• Opposing Forces (OPFOR): Almost all military training centers have some sort of OPFOR to enhance the training experience of the participating units. However, the JRTC OPFOR team is much more flexible and aggressive than those at other training centers. Drawn from the 1 st Battalion of the 509th PIR (1/509), they are able to simulate threat military units as large as a Soviet-style regiment, though usually they work in smaller formations. At any given time, the JRTC OPFOR personnel may be simulating terrorist or guerrilla groups, or regular army troops with particular national “bents” or biases.

  • Non-Enemy Players: Most wars take place in locations that people (civilians) choose to live. However, very little has been done to simulate the effects of a civilian population or civilian agencies on the battlefield. At JRTC, the U.S. force will be faced with a variety of such folks, ranging from law enforcement personnel and relief agency workers, to the local gentry and a highly aggressive media pool. These are all real-world problems for battlefield commanders like Colonel Petreaus, and failure to deal with them during a JRTC deployment may result in not fully completing your assigned military missions. However, the lessons learned are almost immeasurable. The players are role-player civilians on the battlefield, employed by the local mission support contractor, and are quite good at their jobs.

  • Casualties: There is a highly realistic depiction of casualty assessment, combined with real-world casualty evacuation and replacement procedures. In short, if you have personnel “wounded” or “killed” at JRTC, then you will have to MEDEVAC and treat them as you would a real casualty. The payoff for doing this right is that you will quickly get the wounded soldier back through the replacement system. One note: Everyone on the battlefield, except for members of the O/C team, is wired with the same kind of Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) scoring system, including the noncombatant role players. God help you if your forces hurt or kill one of those!

  • Realism: One of the primary complaints about the NTC and other military training centers is that the situations are “sterile” or “canned,” more like unreal or “laboratory” exercises. Well, at JRTC, every single deployment is different, and is based upon a lot of input from the command staff of the unit being trained. In addition, the JRTC staff like to throw in little “chunks” of realistic detail, just to keep things lively and interesting. For example, the size of a particular threat force will be what drives the objectives of the friendly forces. But in the event of a friendly force unit getting too far ahead of their OPFOR opponents, plan on seeing the exercise observer/controller (O/C) staff ramp up the threat level or size of the OPFOR the friendly unit is facing. Finally, wherever possible, the O/C and OPFOR personnel try to salt the battlefield with examples of real-world threats and capabilities, just to keep everyone on their toes. For example, there is a small squadron of ac
tual Russian-built aircraft for use in JRTC exercises, including an AN-2 Colt biplane, as well as an Mi-17 Hip transport and an Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter. You have to see the looks on an Avenger gunner the first time he stares down a Hind on an attack run!

  • Mine Warfare: Despite their generally bad reputation these days, nobody is about to stop using land mines, including the U.S. military. Since mines are a primary cause of infantry wounds, mine deployment, clearing, and casualty assessment are closely modeled at JRTC.

  • Friction Elements: Once upon a time, Count Von Clausewitz, the great Prussian military mind, defined “friction” elements as things that keep you from carrying out assigned tasks or achieving objectives. In the real world, these are things like blown tires, forgotten equipment, and lost messages. At JRTC, though, the exercise control staff has a diabolical list of events that are carefully designed to stress and test the players’ units and staff to the maximum degree possible. Things like terrorists throwing satchel charges and detonating truck bombs at checkpoints and other critical locations. Or perhaps the local civilian population turning their “hearts and minds” over to the enemy, because of a poor “Community Relations” policy towards the non-combatant role players.

  This Russian-built Mi-24 Hind-D Attack Helicopter is part of the Joint Readiness Training Center’s (JRTC) opposing force. Assigned to the Operational Test and Evaluation Command Support Activity this aircraft, along with other former-Soviet aircraft, is used to provide a realistic air threat to JRTC exercise rotations.

  JOHN D. GRESHAM

  Simulated casualties are evacuated from the Joint Readiness Training Center Battlefield at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The Casualty Evacuation/Treatment/Replacement Cycle is a vital part of the combat simulation at JRTC.