Holloman hosts joint service aircraft for testing

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sondra Escutia
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Army, Navy and Marine Corps recently conducted a multi-platform countermeasure effectiveness test at White Sands Missile Range, completing a total of 16 missions, with all aircraft hosted by Holloman.

Holloman was selected as the aircraft host because of its ability to support aircraft and ordnance missions for WSMR operations and its central location relative to the squadrons participating.

"Everybody from Team Holloman stepped up to help us pull off this operation," said Jimmy Morgan, 586th Flight Test Squadron program manager.

During the four days of testing, nine aircraft were evaluated, including the UH-1Y Venom, CH-46E Sea Knight, CH-53E Super Stallion, MV-22 Osprey, CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black-Hawk and AH-64 Apache. Over 1,500 infrared countermeasures were dispensed from the aircraft under various test conditions, providing valuable information to be used in theater.

"The Marine Corps, head of the countermeasures division, realized that there are emerging threats in Afghanistan involving helicopters being attacked from above with the use of heat-seeking missiles," said 1st Lt. Steve Crosbie, 586th FLTS program manager.

The aircraft and their respective units deployed to Holloman from Afghanistan for the duration of the testing and afterward, returned back to the area of responsibility.

"They flew the helicopters with different configurations of flare and flying techniques to see what would help combat that threat the best," said Lieutenant Crosbie. "Once they get this information compiled, it will all go straight back to Afghanistan where they can hopefully fly more successful sorties against the enemy."

The 586th FLTS headed the operation for Holloman and coordinated with different units throughout the base in order to support the Air Force's sister services.

"Hosting helicopters here was a little bit of a different set-up than Holloman is used to. It took a little bit more coordination with different agencies to make it happen," said Mr. Morgan.

The 49th Operations Support Squadron coordinated parking details and airfield hours, working 24 hour operations, while the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper squadrons provided maintenance space for the helicopters. U.S. Army Air Operations Division provided local airspace procedures training to all of the visiting aircrew since they are the only helicopter-familiar organization stationed at Holloman. Additionally, the 49th Fighter Wing Weapons Safety and 49th Maintenance Squadron Munitions Flight provided munitions support to 586 FLTS weapons personnel.

The testing was ultimately a success and will be used to improve aircraft survivability against infrared missiles, said Mr. Morgan, exemplifying a functioning partnership of joint forces to achieve a common goal -- to win today's fight.

"The testing was a success mainly due to a lot of efforts of Team Holloman and their ability go above and beyond their normal duty titles which may be launching F-22's, but in this case launching seven different types of helicopters for the Marine Corps, the Army and the Navy, in an effort to provide test data that will help protect the war fighter in theater," said Lieutenant Crosbie.