The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing concluded the latest version of its ongoing combat exercise, Sentry Aloha 24-2, June 12 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
This National Guard Bureau training event brought together more than 1,000 participants from nine states and four service branches over two weeks, providing essential combat training to joint and total force units.
Aircraft operations were organized and conducted at geographically separate locations on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, including Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keāhole.
Visiting fighter and attack aircraft included A-10 Warthogs and F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Air National Guard’s Air Force Reserve Test Center (AATC), F-16s from the 177th Fighter Wing, F-35A Lighting II of the 422nd Test and Evaluation. Squadron. These aircraft joined the 154th Wing’s locally based F-22 Raptors, operated by the 199th and 19th Fighter Squadrons.
This year’s iteration was built around a concept known as distributed mission planning and operations, which allows participants to operate with greater levels of autonomy while warfighters achieve a series of combat objectives. Maj. Michael ‘Deuce’ Oliver, Sentry Aloha exercise director, said this strategic shift challenged them to employ decentralized and flexible practices in dynamic combat environments while facing the threat of advanced enemy aircraft.
Daily training sorties focused on air-to-air combat, with large-scale combat simulations against adversary forces, “red air” and integration with friendly “blue air” forces.
Several scenarios included blue fighter jets protecting A-10 aircraft conducting air-to-ground attacks. These operations were conducted at Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island, with airmen from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron on the ground coordinating close air support strikes with escorted Warthogs.
In addition to air-to-ground strikes, maritime strike missions were conducted alongside the US Navy, with both scenarios incorporating support from a US Marine Corps MQ-9A. of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3. The UAV’s advanced airborne sensors and communications node provided intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information to the Red and Blue Air participants throughout the training.
Throughout each training objective, Hawaii’s ANG 169th Air Defense Squadron diligently monitored and transmitted battlespace information. They maintained command and control to ensure real-time situational awareness and coordinated responses to evolving threats.
“Exercises like this are exactly what we need to allow us to operate on a much larger scale and as a joint force,” said Tech. Sgt. Kukila Carreira-Manin, 169th ADS weapons director. “This also gave us the opportunity to integrate with more expeditionary members of the (Continental United States) Air National Guard, such as the 128th, 116th and 109th Air Control Squadrons, as well as the 3rd Marines LAAB stationed in Kaneohe. Bay and MACS-4. Off Okinawa, Japan. We are not going to win the fight as a single branch. We, as military members at all levels, must continue to work together as one to ensure we are relevant and ready in the race for great power competition.”
Fighter activity was maintained by air-to-air refueling by local and visiting tankers, including KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46A Pegasus. Variants of C-130 aircraft from the Air Force Reserve Test Center and the 129th Rescue Wing delivered the logistical supplies needed for operations in remote locations, ensuring continued support and operational capability.
Throughout the exercise, AATC tested a communication system under development with airframes such as the KC-135, known as Link 16, which facilitates seamless data exchange between aircraft and other sensors. This ability to share information in real time significantly improves situational awareness and coordination. The integration of Link 16 on atypical aircraft such as tanker aircraft during the exercise demonstrated the potential to revolutionize communication strategies in combat scenarios, ensuring more efficient and effective execution of the mission.
Despite a smaller ‘Hawaiian Raptors’ presence due to off-island deployments, the exercise managed to minimize the impact on general aviation at Honolulu International Airport by dispersing the aircraft to multiple locations. This dispersion added complexity to operations, showcasing capabilities to conduct distributed planning and ensure secure communications, provided by members of the Hawaii ANG 291st and 292nd Combat Communications Squadrons and National Guard reinforcements from around the country.
Key achievements included numerous mission commander upgrades and mission qualification training for participating fighter squadrons.
Sentry Aloha remains a critical element of combat training and provides invaluable opportunities for total force Airmen and other Department of Defense services. When the exercise concludes, lessons learned and skills honed will significantly bolster the 154th Wing’s readiness to support various security initiatives across the Indo-Pacific Theater and beyond, ensuring comprehensive readiness for all involved.
“We’ve done a lot over the last two weeks and we’re pleased to see many leaving with some important milestones marked,” Oliver said. “Our hope is that the immense value gained from these experiences will inspire everyone.” Back for more opportunities to fly with us, the Hawaiian Raptors, again for more world-class training.”
Date to be had: | 06/15/2024 |
Publication date: | 06/17/2024 02:47 |
Story ID: | 474108 |
Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, USA |
Web views: | fifteen |
Downloads: | 0 |
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