Dragon phase team provides key link in 'kill chain'

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SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Every successful hit of a target by the Air Force comes at the end of a long line of events commonly referred to as the "kill chain." The team members of 380th Air Expeditionary Wing play various roles as part of nearly all kill chains in this area of responsibility.

One critical link in the kill chain: intelligence photos provided by the U-2. Without these photos, targets could not be identified and, ultimately, destroyed.

Also along this chain is another critical link that allows the U-2 aircraft to fly without major airframe failures, according to Maj. Matthew Goddard, 380th Maintenance Squadron operations officer. This critical link is the wing's U-2 phase flight. The flight includes 19 Lockheed contractors permanently stationed here, serving beside their military comrades daily.

Major Goddard said this "crack team" of 19 Lockheed technicians has been completing phase inspections on U-2 aircraft for nearly two years. The Air Force contracted this work out to Lockheed starting in January 2005, the major said.

To date, the team has completed 26 successful phase inspections. The successful phasing has provided better than 10,400 flying hours for the assigned 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, equating to about 1,040 U-2 combat missions.

So, what happens in a U-2 phase?

"It's three things: a concept, a place and a regimented set of work tasks," Major Goddard said. "It's all accomplished to make sure that an airplane is holding together despite many hours of punishing flight."

"After every 400 hours of flying, we systematically take a U-2 airplane apart and go through it with a fine-toothed comb," said Bill Bonnichsen, dock chief for Lockheed's U-2 phase operation at this Southwest Asia location. "We're looking for certain things such as cracks, leaks, system failures or wear patterns, especially on any part of the airplane that is known to suffer wear over time."

Mr. Bonnichsen said his team pays attention to details.

"We are looking for anything out of the ordinary that might indicate any sort of problem for the airplane and any such things we find, we fix and then test thoroughly to make sure the fix is good," Mr. Bonnichsen said.

"Each member of the 19-person Lockheed team brings their own unique U-2 expertise to the phase operation," Major Goddard added. "That expertise spans many systems that make up the Dragon."

The team works round the clock completing each U-2 Phase in just 14 days start to finish, the major said. Once the team has completed fixing any and all problems discovered with the airplane, it re-assembles and thoroughly tests all the U-2's systems.

"This includes an extensive engine run-up and culminates with a functional check flight," Mr. Bonnichsen said. "A specially qualified U-2 pilot takes the airplane through its paces at various altitudes making sure it's fit for flight and combat missions."

Once the pilot completes the functional check and declares the aircraft combat-ready, the phase clock is reset. It will be another 400 hours of flying time until the next phase inspection is due.

"With the wing's crack team of Lockheed U-2 Phase experts, the Dragon will continue to fly safely and effectively over the skies of the Middle East," the major said. "It will be free from major defects, and will secure a vital intelligence link in the kill chain."

(Courtesy of  380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs)