Exchange program enhances coalition operations

  • Published
  • By Aaron Schoenfeld
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) --  Northwest Florida is gaining worldwide recognition through a program that makes local Air Force bases the training grounds for covert coalition aircraft operations.

The program, known as Combined Special Operations Forces Subject Matter Expert Exchange, is a concept that came to life on a large scale during the Emerald Warrior 07 exercise held here and at Eglin Air Force Base Oct. 23 to Nov. 3 .

The idea for the CSOF-SMEE was conceived about five years ago by Master Sgt. Gregory Smith of the 4th Special Operations Squadron. When Sergeant Smith was serving in Afghanistan at the beginning of the war on terrorism he realized a need for a better understanding of the tactics, techniques and procedures used by countries that often work together on special operations missions. Specifically, he saw the requirement for coalition special operations forces to be able to communicate with aircraft supporting their ground operations. 

Ground-to-air mission tasking is something U.S. SOF have been using for decades. The combat controllers of the 720th Special Tactics Group make a living out of providing air superiority from their ground locations, an important asset to successful missions. 

On more than one occasion, coalition teams have been separated from their U.S. allies and found themselves without the ability to communicate with the aircraft overhead. 

"It finally came to the point where someone realized (coalition forces) are going out with us, they work hand in hand with us, they need this capability," said Lt. Col. Rodger Bennett, chief of the AFSOC Joint/Combined Exercise Division. 

Roy Vaughn, chief of AFSOC's European Command Exercise Planning, credited Sergeant Smith' vision as the genesis of the CSOF-SMEE program. 

"It wouldn't have happened at all if it weren't for him," Mr. Vaughn said. "AFSOC adopted it and funded it, but the leg work was all his." 

Since its inception, the program has worked well on a small scale. The training through the exchange program was proven on a large scale during Emerald Warrior 07 event. 

"Emerald Warrior is basically just a continuation of our normal training, but on a huge scale," said Colonel Bennett. "Normally, we only train with one or two teams that have 10 to 12 guys each. With Emerald Warrior, we were able to bring in several countries, equaling about 100 people, to train alongside U.S. forces." 

With such a large jump in training, Sergeant Smith's idea has come a long way in just a few years. Instead of the typical week-long training that involves only two allied teams, it was two weeks long and involved five of the nine CSOF-SMEE nations, including the United States. 

Throughout the exercise, participants focused on the ability to call for fire, primarily from the AC-130 gunships that provide close-air support in hostile environments.
 
Occasionally, international SOF conduct operations with more conventional attack aircraft, like the A-10, or rescue missions with MH-53 helicopters, so those were included in the exercise as well. 

Mr. Vaughn says there is a broad range of experience among the participants, some with as little as two years, but every team is working hard and in some cases have developed a "big brother, little brother" type relationship with the other participants. 

"Some of the forces have had less opportunity to develop themselves because they're a much younger military," he said. 

For instance, Lithuanian Special Operations Forces came into their own just two years ago when they became part of the Lithuanian military. Before they became an equivalent of the Army, Navy and Air Force, they were just a small counterterrorism unit. 

One of the ways the ground troops and aircrews are getting to better understand each other's capabilities is by spending time together on the aircraft. While this wouldn't ordinarily happen in real-world situations, it allows the teams to identify the strong points and weaknesses of their counterparts. 

"Emerald Warrior 07 is very important for small countries like Lithuania that cannot afford big and modern aviation. It is important for us to develop this type of cooperation, working together with a nation's close-air-support assets," said a Lithuanian SOF spokesperson. "This is a very good thing for pilots who rarely have a chance to talk to non-native English speakers, too." 

This is the first time AFSOC has done anything like EW 07, so they tried to keep it simple, Mr. Vaughn said. Keeping in line with that simplicity, not all the countries that belong to the CSOF-SMEE were able to participate. Of those that do belong, the only nations taking part were Germany, Lithuania, Norway and Denmark. 

Quarterly training will continue for non-participating countries. Other CSOF-SMEE members include the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Britain. New Zealand is the newest addition and is still in the process of integrating themselves. 

Part of the reason for selecting only a few countries to participate in EW 07 is the attempt to match up the coalition teams that will be deploying at the same time as the gunship crews. That allows a more personal relationship between the units that will be working together overseas.