In Flight USA Celebrating 30 Years
14
HANGARS
March 2014
Transit to Manas, Part II
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A C-17 from McChord AFB takes off to bring troops and cargo into Afghanistan. (Sagar Pathak) Continued from Page 12 transmission from an Iranian controller on Emergency Guard Frequency 121.5 that an aircraft had strayed into Iranian airspace and we were to turn around immediately or else interceptors would be scrambled. I was told that the Iranian boarder was mobile depending on the controller. As we took off from Manas International Airport, it was like we were any other aircraft flying that day. We spoke to Manas Tower to get our clearance to take off, and then were handed off to Center, which guided us along our filed flight route into Afghanistan. Once we reached Afghanistan, we then went “tactical.” What that means is that we were no longer being controlled by Afghani ATC, but instead were being routed and watched over by a U.S.A.F. The flying boom on the KC-135 gives the AWACS aircraft. We switched over to ability to refuel all USAF and many encrypted frequencies and started using coalition aircraft. (Sagar Pathak) codewords. Some real Tom Clancy stuff! The 376th EOSS Operations Group give that much-needed fuel. If it wasn’t, had lined up aircraft almost immediately that F-16 had to scrub it’s mission and fly upon entering Afghanistan. Typically off and land at an alternate base, thus there are several aerial refueling tracks ending the air cover that it was providing that are scattered across Afghanistan. to troops on the ground. These tracks change frequently and are Sometimes it just didn’t work out updated in the “Secrets” bag that are like it did on paper. F-16s often fly as a known to each “friendly” aircraft in the pair – with a wingman, someone to watch AOR. Our KC-135 would fly from one out for you and help you out along the AR track to another to another and then way. One pair of F-16s from the 301st return back to TC Manas. As we orbited FW out of Texas, but temporarily each track, we had scheduled F-16s that deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanwould come up for fuel as they needed it. istan were such customers. As we transitioned between refueling A pair of these F-16s that provide tracks, we all took a moment to take a close-air support and armed-over watch break or grab a bite to eat. for the Service members on the ground, This was a very intricate ballet that were slated to get fuel from our tanker, happened in the sky. Schedulers from Shell 74, but were engaged in a heated, across the region had to coordinate close-air support mission. This changed the plans, and the dozens of aerial assets so that each had tempo onboard Shell 74 increased dramatadequate fuel, and at the same time ically. Viper 21 and his wingman, Viper 31, accomplished their mission of supporting were below us somewhere doing somethe troops on the ground. The F-16 had to thing important. Viper 21 came up as a take off from it’s home base, start it’s solo aircraft to quickly get fuel as Viper 31 mission, then fly skyward to an aerial provided air support to the troops on the refueling track for it’s life-saving fuel. Then a KC-135 had to be in the area to Continued on Page 16