7th FS receives “world-class” training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sondra Escutia
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Members and aircraft from the 57th Wing out of Nellis AFB, Nev., recently visited Holloman in support of a 7th Fighter Squadron training mission.

Nearly 50 pilots and maintainers from the 65th Aggressor Squadron and 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron deployed to Holloman from Sept. 9 to Sept. 26, giving the 7th FS an opportunity to train as they'd fight.

"This was world-class training for us. There's no better way for us to get more realistic training," said Lt. Col. Charles Law, 49th Fighter Wing Chief of Plans and Exercises. "The terrain and the ranges here at Holloman are very representative of places that we would go in the world to fight."

In this training, however, the realism extended beyond the environmental aspects.

Four F-15C Eagles from the 65th AGRS came to Holloman to train against the F-22A Raptor with all aircraft painted similar to threat aircraft around the world.

"To see threat representative aircraft that you're fighting visually or long range is a huge benefit to us," said Colonel Law.

In addition to using aircraft that physically resembled the enemy, 65th AGRS pilots taught 7th FS personnel about the tactics that threat countries would use, educating them both in the air and on the ground.

"These aggressor pilots are also well-trained instructor pilots and academic instructors," said Colonel Law. "They came in and taught classes to us on threat aircraft and threat systems that are out there. It really enhanced our knowledge of the threat and made us much more capable to fight today's war."

As a pilot who flew several sorties himself, Colonel Law said he and his fellow pilots learned a lot in the two weeks. He said experiencing the simulated battle first-hand was "awesome".

"When you're flying a Raptor ... and see an aircraft that's painted like a bad-guy aircraft and the pilot is flying adversary tactics, there is nothing really better than seeing that," he said.

Although this was the first time the 65th AGRS has brought F-15's to Holloman to train against the F-22, it may not be the last.

"This has been great training for [the 7th Fighter Squadron] and they want us to come back," said Master Sgt. Andrew Bamberg, 57th AXMS Eagle Aircraft Maintenance Unit production superintendant. "It was outstanding training."

The 65th AGRS is a part of the U.S. Air Force Aggressor program with the mission of "preparing combat air force joint and allied aircrews for tomorrow's victories through challenging, realistic threat replication, training, test support, academics and feedback," according to the official website of Nellis AFB.

Colonel Law believes this was a mission success.

"This training has been a great use of resources and the training [the 65th AGRS] provided for us is unmatched," he said.