One year later: JB Charleston helps keep multinational wing operational

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Susan Carlson
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. (AFNS) --  A C-17 Globemaster III pilot from Pápa Air Base, Hungary, completed simulator training here recently, as part of a multinational mission.

Maj. Brian Nicosia, a U.S. pilot and chief of tactics for the Heavy Airlift Wing, is part of the first multinational partnership for Strategic Airlift Capability, which was formally activated July 27, 2009, at Pápa Air Base, Hungary.

This partnership between 12 nations involves pilots, loadmasters and maintainers from every participating country who all join together to complete the HAW mission.

Together, they use their three C-17s to support the European Union, NATO and UN operations, as well as national military, peacekeeping and humanitarian relief operations.

The initial idea for the Hungarian Airlift Wing began in 2006 when 17 nations signed a letter of intent to pursue the partnership for SAC. Officials from participating nations wanted the airlift and movement capabilities of the C-17, but wanted to save money by sharing the capability.

After much planning, an advance team arrived at Pápa Air Base in October 2008 to scope out the facilities. By July 2009, the HAW had acquired its first aircraft and became an official wing.

Today, one year later, HAW members have logged more than 1,500 flight hours and have airlifted more than seven million pounds of cargo around the world. However, only 33 percent of HAW members have "seasoned" C-17 strategic airlift experience, and the wing is not yet fully mission capable.

"We're partially mission capable, only about seven people are qualified aircraft commanders, and that includes the wing commander, squadron commanders and the director of operations. We're all basically section chiefs," Major Nicosia said. "Right now, in order for a mission to go out, there has to be a U.S. pilot on (the flight)."

In order to fly a mission, at least one pilot must be aircraft commander qualified, thus limiting the amount of operations they are able to complete. All participants in the Strategic Airlift Capability Heavy Airlift Wing who have not flown the C-17 were required to go to Altus Air Force Base, Okla., for the C-17 initial qualification training, and upon completion, they arrived in Hungary last summer.

"They're all good pilots, but they are new to the C-17, so they don't know all the nuances of the plane and running the missions," Major Nicosia said.

The first two international pilots are currently going through upgrade training to become aircraft commanders, which will assist in allowing the HAW commander and vice commander to declare them fully mission capable. This will bring wing officials closer to the goal of building a multinational team that is able to respond quickly to strategic airlift taskings.

"In the U.S., we have the Tanker Airlift Control Center function with big headquarters that direct missions," he said, "whereas here, we have a small shop, maybe 10 to 15 people that work plans, clearances, flight grids, notifying crews ... everything that TACC does, but here in this tiny little office."

The entirety of the HAW is in a single building with the mission planners on one floor, the flying squadron in the middle and logistics on the top floor.

"It's very interesting, because in some aspects it seems a little bit better, because you get to interact with mission planners. We actually sit down a couple days beforehand and see where there might be a kink," Major Nicosia said.

Typically, when U.S. pilots fly, on the day of the mission they are told where they are going. While the U.S. system may be more efficient, this way, the pilots and crew know in advance where they are headed, Major Nicosia said.

The HAW is also unique in that each country can buy as many or as few missions and flying hours as they choose, but manpower from every country supports each mission.

"Some nations don't have an aircrew, but they contribute to the mission through the aerial port or other logistics or command and control functions, so we all contribute to the missions," Major Nicosia said.

In this way, all operators are able to remain current, no matter who is paying for the flight hours. The missions they are running are not much different than those that are sent from here. However, the process and planning of that mission is a real eye opener, Major Nicosia said.

"The people I've met out there are just great. Everyone's really excited about the mission and excited about being out there and working with people in different countries," he said.

Together, the 12 countries involved: Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States, with the help of their dedicated service members at Pápa Air Base, will continue to expand this wing to shape the future of Strategic Airlift Capability.