Total force Airmen support European theater security package

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Brenda Hendricksen
  • 104th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
GRAF IGNATIEVO, Bulgaria (AFNS) --  After two months of being split across four countries, approximately 250 U.S. Air Force and Massachusetts Air National Guard Airmen from the 131st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron reunited at Graf Ignatievo, Bulgaria, May 27.

The Airmen, originally assigned to the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, deployed to the European theater April 3, as part of a theater security package to Iceland, Estonia, the Netherlands and Bulgaria in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Four of the 104th FW’s F-15C Eagles and nearly 100 Airmen deployed to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, to augment Icelandic Air Surveillance under the TSP designation.

At the same time, eight F-15s and 150 personnel deployed to Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands, to participate in Frisian Flag 2016 and conduct training alongside NATO allies and partners.

A few of the 131st EFS’s F-15s, at both locations, are on loan from the 144th FW at Fresno ANG Base, California.

While deployed to Keflavik AB, the California guardsmen acted as rotational stateside total force Airmen reinforcing existing U.S. Air Force capabilities to show a forward presence in Europe. Since 2008, the U.S. Air Force has conducted an air surveillance mission there as part of NATO’s commitment to Iceland’s security and defense.

The IAS mission compared to the alert mission in Massachusetts, said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Beckel, the 131st EFS detachment commander for the Icelandic mission.

“We were sitting with live loaded jets ready to intercept in the region if needed,” he said.

Members of the 131st EFS at Leeuwarden AB commenced flying operations April 11-16, participating in Frisian Flag under the scope of OAR. The multinational, large-force operation included personnel and aircraft from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Finland, Poland, Norway, U.K., Germany and Australia.

Guardsmen stationed at Keflavik AB later forward deployed to Amari AB, Estonia, while guardsmen stationed at Leeuwarden AB forward deployed to Bulgaria.

In conjunction with OAR, at Amari AB, Estonia, the wing’s F-15Cs flew alongside Estonian Defense Force’s L-39 Albatross, Royal Air Force’s Typhoon FGR4 and Polish Air Force’s Su-22. They also participated in Estonia’s exercise Spring Storm from May 2-20, which represented the country’s largest of its kind this year, comprising of approximately 6,000 soldiers and personnel from nine NATO countries.

“It was an air-to-ground exercise, and our mission was to provide top cover for the forces on the ground,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Woodfield, a 131st EFS F-15 pilot. “It depended on the day which side we would be on – good or bad.”

Working out of Bulgaria, 104th FW fighter pilots are currently participating in Thracian Flag, an exercise featuring Bulgarian Air Force MIG-29s, SU-25s and L-39s and ground-based air defense in integrated flying scenarios.

“It’s important for us to have U.S. forces here; we are not able to create a realistic tactical picture to fight on our own,” said Bulgarian Air Force Lt. Col. Metodi Orlov, the Graf Ignatievo operations officer. “The (Air) National Guard is helping us receive a good sense of modern warfare.”

Lt. Col. David Halasi-Kun, the 131st EFS commander, said when in the Netherlands and now in Bulgaria, his Airmen conducted and will conduct all phases of small- and large-scale air-to-air training.

“Our goal is to build partnerships with our NATO allies through joint training exercises and operations,” he said.

Guardsmen arriving from Estonia to Bulgaria will join their 104th FW counterparts and will remain in place until the end of June when the 144th FW takes over the TSP mission utilizing eight Massachusetts F-15s.