German partnership enhances mission, saves JTACs money

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --  From energy conservation practices to Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiatives, Airmen are looking for more efficient ways of conducting business.

One task that has Air Force leaders here thinking outside the box is continued support for joint terminal attack controller training missions.

Each year, the JTAC school at Einsiedlerhof Air Station, Germany, hosts more than 125 students, teaching them the skills necessary to call in airstrikes.

To accomplish this, instructors rely on limited-training days where the JTAC apprentice will communicate coordinates via radio with a real pilot.

Instructors of the class previously relied on F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from one of two squadrons at nearby Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. However, recent realignment of those assets has forced school leaders to seek other avenues of filling this training requirement.

"Our supporting fighter squadrons from the United States did not have enough training sorties available to fulfill our requirements, so we set out to find a low-cost alternative that could simulate everything needed except actual delivering of an ordnance," said Klaus Mildenberger, an Air Ground Operating Squadron scheduler.

"As those units who previously supported us scaled down, our JTAC training requirements have doubled, so we had to find a way ahead," said Lt. Col. Allen Roberts, the AGOS commander.

After six months of looking at various companies for the needed support, school leaders made a decision on a one-year contract with a local company.

The company employs former German military pilots to take the wheel of their ten Pilatus PC-9 aircraft, a two-seat trainer.

The PC-9 is capable of flying at lower altitudes and visibilities than most military fighters, providing more training time for the JTACs.

"Probably the biggest thing they bring to the fight, from an instructor point of view, is the ability to fly missions during inclement weather," said Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Picoc, an AGOS instructor.

But, officials said this one-year partnership brings many more advantages as well.

Considerations such as noise abatement become less of a problem because the PC-9 produces less than half the noise of an F-16. In addition, the estimated cost of flying an F-16 on a training mission can run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars compared the relatively low cost of the PC-9.

"Part of the advantage of this contract is we are only paying for the actual flight hours, so if the training has to be cancelled, we simply reschedule," said Lt. Col. Lawrence Pravecek, the Warrior Preparation Center deputy commander.

The PC-9 is also maintained completely by the contracted company, freeing the nearly 60 F-16 crew chiefs and other support staff members to concentrate their efforts on overseas contingency operations.

"This contract supports the partnership as an example of the relationship between the United States and Germany," Colonel Roberts said. "This is part of the work we can accomplish together, and we are looking forward to getting started."