Mildenhall tanker crew deploys to Sweden for exercise support

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
LULEA, Sweden (AFNS) --  Air and ground crews from U.S. Air Forces in Europe joined military units from 10 other nations June 8 for Exercise Loyal Arrow 2009, a 10-day exercise hosted by the Swedish air force's Norrbotten Wing here.

A team of 15 Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, deployed to Sweden with a KC-135 Stratotanker, which is the only air refueling asset participating in the exercise. 

The tanker is outfitted to refuel all aircraft participating in the exercise.

Loyal Arrow is a combination live-fire exercise and integration of the NATO Response Force, said Maj. Matt Moneymaker, the detachment commander for the 100th ARW team. 

Although the RAF Mildenhall crew is a small part of the total picture, there is no question among the participants that they are a vital part of the mission's potential success, Maj. Steve Fisher, assigned to the 100th Operations Support Squadron.

"Before we got here, there was some question whether or not we'd be able to support the mission, and half the people in NATO were holding their breath waiting to see what the status of the tanker was," Major Fisher said. Now; however, the tanker sits loaded with fuel and ready to take off and support the other Loyal Arrow participants.

USAFE forces joining the 100th ARW in Sweden include F-15E Strike Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, and barrier maintenance crews from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.