Squadron monitors sky over Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Maj. David Kurle
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  If it’s flying over Afghanistan, Airman 1st Class Kyle Neill will be the first one to notice it. That is, as long as he is on shift as a surveillance technician with the 73rd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron here. 

Airman Neill's job is to manage data as part of a two-person team in an operations module. There, screens and computers translating data from a radar antenna, are constantly monitoring the sky in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The other part of that team is an air surveillance officer, either an air battle manager or an enlisted weapons director. Together they direct strike aircraft where they are needed and make sure civil and other military traffic stay a safe distance from ongoing combat operations.

The air surveillance officer relies on surveillance technicians to identify and then establish contact with any aircraft flying over Afghan airspace, Airman Neill said.

“Usually, the surveillance technician is the first one to find everybody,” said Staff Sgt. Rhiana Caldwell, chief of the surveillance technicians in the 73rd EACS.

“If there are troops in contact right in the middle of an air route, we get the air support there (for) support, then coordinate with the civil air traffic control to clear the airspace,” said Maj. T.J. Courtney, the 73rd EACS commander.

Controllers divide the entire country into grids. When airpower is employed they direct strike aircraft to the location and coordinate with civilian controllers to reroute other aircraft away from what becomes a restricted area.

The squadron is designed to set up a working air traffic control system anywhere in the world. Twenty-four Air Force specialty codes are represented.

Despite the diverse career fields, the squadron’s unity of effort is focused on monitoring the airspace via radar and sending that information to the Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia so decision makers and commanders get a clear picture of the situation in the air.

“We’re the only long-range radar for Afghanistan,” said Capt. Eamon Jordan, chief of maintenance. “We can tie into other air traffic control radars so we can also see their pictures.”

With all of the specialized communications gear, radar, computers, generators and other heavy equipment, it is no wonder two-thirds of the people are dedicated to maintenance.

If equipment fails, Airmen get it back on line as quickly as possible.

“When you’re dealing with air traffic control and people getting shot up on the ground and a communications link goes down, we’ve got to fix it immediately,” Captain Jordan said.

Staff Sgt. Kyle Brock, deployed here from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, is a computer maintenance technician whose job is to keep the three operations modules, or “boxes,” running so the operators can do their job.

“It becomes kind of like our baby after a while,” he said. “As long as we can keep them cool and clean, they run fine.”

The most dominating physical feature of the squadron is the large radar antenna, which rotates ceaselessly and is set apart from most of the equipment on top of a small hill.

According to Staff Sgt. Eric Haupt, a ground radar systems craftsman, it is the basis of everything the squadron does.

His task is to keep the radar functioning and make sure the high-voltage components inside stay dust-free, a daunting task in the southwest part of Afghanistan known for its dust storms.

“We provide the primary picture to the operations modules through fiber (optics),” Sergeant Haupt said. The radar is designed to filter out moving objects from stationary, background objects such as high terrain.

Everything is powered by generators that run on JP-8 jet fuel, and the 73rd EACS has its own power production specialists to keep those running.

The squadron is designed to go anywhere in the world, set up a working air traffic control system and make it run in any environment. The Airmen's know-how includes convoy and ground defense training, and the squadron runs pretty much autonomously no matter what situation in which it finds itself.

“Normally, a unit like this would be on its own, forward-deployed, then keep moving forward with the war,” Sergeant Brock said. “Everything is mobile.”

The squadron is set up apart from the main base here, and the biggest chunk of its Airmen come from the 606th Air Control Squadron at Spangdahlem AB with augmentation from the 603rd ACS at Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Air National Guard.

“Even though I’m not in a plane fighting the war, I’m taking care of the communications and you’ve got to have comm,” said Tech. Sgt. Steven Hatcher, NCO in charge of the tactical control systems.

The call sign for the 73rd EACS is “Trump Card,” and it’s an overriding factor in the air war here.

“We’re pretty much the only radios (talking) to the aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Nathan Caldwell, a weapons director from Aviano. “You take out Trump Card and no one’s getting where they need to go."