Exercise gives warfighters’ perspective

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. J. Elaine Hunnicutt
  • Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) --  Thirty-eight Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers traveled to Fort Drum, N.Y., May 31 to June 13 for Phoenix Warrior 2003.

This annual exercise is tailored to show new technologies to the warfighting community and expose laboratory scientists and engineers to an operational environment helping them better understand the warfighter perspective.

The exercise takes the engineers out of the laboratory environment and allows them to experience the operational realities warfighters deal with on a daily basis. In turn, the scientists and engineers can take this knowledge back to their laboratory and ensure the technologies they field can stand up to the warfighters’ environmental requirements.

These young scientists and engineers graduate from some of the toughest schools in the country, armed with a lot of technical “know-how” and ideas, according to Lt. Col. Richard Shaughnessy, of the laboratory’s sensors directorate in Rome, N.Y. Upon commissioning, they are sent to the laboratories to develop technology for the warfighters. Unfortunately, their operational knowledge is limited, making it difficult for them to understand the environment in which their technology will be used, he said.

“Often, there is something missing between school and the ‘lab,’ and we provide that needed perspective to these talented young officers. Phoenix Warrior gives them a taste of the unknown factors faced by the soldier in the field and how field conditions may affect a technology,” said Shaughnessy.

Laboratory officials unleashed more than 20 technologies during the two-week exercise. Scientists and engineers saw current technologies demonstrated, talked to users and saw how they may be able to enhance certain equipment to better meet their needs.

“I have a greater appreciation for the warfighters, specifically the (tactical air control party) and Army infantry we met, and the obstacles they have to face in the battlefield. I loved every minute of this training exercise,” said 2nd Lt. Jim Manna, of the laboratory’s materials and manufacturing directorate at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

During the exercise, the troops learned about tactical insertions, self-aid and buddy care, small arms, map reading and land navigation, air base ground defense, and basic survival tactics.

During air-assault scenarios, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters tactically flew laboratory and control-party airmen into a simulated hostile environment. The combined teams then navigated through several miles of range against an opposing force to a close-air support site. There, the control-party airmen began directing live CAS missions.

“This exercise provided us an opportunity to lead, a frontline perspective and put each of us in a warrior mindset. There is no way I normally would have gotten to do this type of stuff sitting in my cubicle,” said 2nd Lt. Andrew Hyatt, of the laboratory’s information directorate here.

“This was definitely a unique experience, living next to a flightline in (a forward-operating location). It was pretty cool to wake-up, walk 10 feet and see F-16 (Fighting Falcons) and A-10 (Thunderbolt IIs) right outside my door,” said 2nd Lt. Steve Kitay, of the laboratory’s munitions directorate at Eglin AFB, Fla.

Kitay is the deputy program manager for the massive ordnance air blast program. The program supports the largest non-nuclear munition in the Air Force inventory, weighing in at almost 11 tons. All of the airmen are actively involved in similar cutting-edge technology.

According to Shaughnessy, there are a lot of talented young people in the laboratory, and he wants to make sure they get something useful out of this experience that will in turn benefit their research.