Air Combat Command officials to host multinational personnel recovery exercise

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LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) --  Air Combat Command officials will host the world's largest personnel recovery exercise, Angel Thunder 2010, April 12 through 23 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. 

Angel Thunder simulates a comprehensive government response to isolated citizens and integrates sister services and numerous state, national, multinational and interagency assets focused on the rescue mission and saving lives.

The exercise echoes the warrior ethos, "I will never leave a fallen comrade," and is the closest participants can get to experiencing a holistic personnel recovery response without being in an actual rescue situation.

Personnel recovery capabilities represented include those from the Army, National Reconnaissance Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Justice Department, Joint Forces Command, Southern Command, Special Operations Command and other federal agencies. Multinational participants include Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Ground recovery teams will include members of the Air Force's guardian angel and special tactic teams, Army special forces and federal special agents. Participating military aircraft include the HH-60G Pave Hawk, AC-130 Spectre, C-130E Hercules, AH-64D Apache, UH-1N Twin Huey, C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker, HC-130P King, EC-130H Compass Call, E-3 Sentry, E-8C Joint Stars, A-10 Thunderbolt II and the German Tornado ECR.