JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. —
While the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lighting II pilots flew combat training missions with Royal air force Typhoon Eurofighters and French air force Dassault Rafale pilots during ATLANTIC TRIDENT 17, the 633rd Air Base Wing Command Post was the sole command and control entity for all exercise participants.
In the event of an aircraft emergency or mishap, the 633rd ABW CP is responsible for notifying the wing commander, law enforcement, fire department, base operations, hospitals and other emergency support agencies. In addition to the day-to-day operations, the 633rd ABW CP operated as a joint command and control hub, which supported the Royal air force and French air force.
“We serve as the eyes and ears of the AT17,” said Staff Sgt. Richard Potts, 633rd ABW CP training NCOIC. “We also provide support to all aircraft commanders as an afterhours point of contact and for classified storage area.”
Potts oversees the initial and recurring training processes for 13 certified emergency action controllers and wanted to ensure that during the exercise they communicated effectively with partner nations..
“The increase of fluency amongst the controllers and the host nations was extremely successful,” said Potts. “The controllers’ ability to demonstrate their skills within a (coalition) environment was crucial to their development as Emergency Actions Controllers,”
While the 633rd ABW CP provided training support during AT 17, their main focus is supporting the mission of JBLE’s four wing commanders.
According to Potts, they are the focal point for rapidly disseminating emergency information from the National Military Command Center, higher headquarters, and major command to the JBLE populace.
Potts said not only does 633rd ABW CP provide mission support for JBLE, but they support operations for the president, North American Air Defense Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Central Command Europe/Strategic Air Command Europe through critical communications with aircraft, air traffic control facilities and wing agencies.
“The personnel working as emergency action controllers maintained 12-hour shifts to ensure 24/7 coverage,” said Potts. “We also aggressively monitor and track all aircraft assigned to JBLE, whether they are home station or deployed.”
The 633rd ABW CP is the lead agency in status of resources and training systems reporting. They track the go-to-war capability of the wing; ensuring its timely and accurate dissemination to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The AT 17 exercise provided the 633rd ABW CP controllers and allied partners a valuable opportunity to experience realistic combat scenarios that enhance their ability to effectively fight together in today’s highly contested environment.