Air Mobility tactics, electronic warfare experts analyze the adversary

by Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
139th Airlift Wing

7/20/2012 - ST. JOSEPH, MO. -- Approximately combat operations experts met at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base here this week for a working group on air mobility tactics to analyze and report on current air and air defense operations across the globe.

The Air Force, Air Mobility Command's (AMC) Air Mobility Tactics Analysis Team (AMTAT) July 16-20 at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center (AATTC) studied field driven data collected on its adversaries.

It is one of many other high-level meetings of service members, intelligence personnel and allies who share adversarial information worldwide in defense of the nation.

Such information is highly valuable to those in overseas contingency operations, which rely greatly on up-to-date intelligence and tactics to survive and operate.

"The key here is that it's a report for operators, written by operators," said Maj. Tim Murphy, who served as the AMC Air Operations co-chair for the event.

Murphy - who is a also a command pilot and tactics instructor here - said the meeting provided the opportunity to share serious data, as well as some earnest accounts, on recent air mobility combat tactics and other information concerning new and developing trends by adversaries.

Their meeting is held at least annually.

Those assembled included National Guard, Reserve Command and Active Duty officers and enlisted. Joining them were civilians, including intelligence personnel and international experts from Australia, Canada, Great Britain and New Zealand.

"The AMTAT is comprised of personnel from a wide variety of intelligence and operations organizations within the Air Force and joint community as well as from specific allied partners," said Lt. Col. Christopher Parker, commander of AMC's Headquarters, Air Operations Squadron Detachment 5. He also serves as the AATTC's director of operations for Development.

"Their objective is to provide a detailed analysis of operational tactics, training and employment of air and air defense forces of potential adversaries."

Parker said the AMTAT provides findings in a format and timeline that satisfies the specific needs of aircrew, weapons controllers, intelligence personnel and operational planners to support tactics development, operational planning and threat replication training.

The result is an air mobility that always holds the upper hand in training and tactics over the enemy, they agreed.

"Their report is the culmination of their analytical efforts," said Parker. "It's released to the major commands, Guard and Reserve units and other Air Force and intelligence community organizations, as well as to our allied partners who participated in its development or are involved in combat operations."

Both officers give credit for the meeting to AMC; the main organizer and supporter.

"The Center could not host this without them," said Murphy.

Parker added that a lot of hard work also goes on behind the scenes at the AATTC.

"The AMTAT is a culmination of the Center's exhaustive analytic efforts throughout the year," said Parker.

The AATTC is both schoolhouse and home for AMC tactics and electronic warfare as well for adversary studies.

Parker said the Center provides a synergy of tactics and electronic warfare development, with focused training on mobility Air Force operations in combat environments using aircrew and signal intelligence experts. In addition, the Center's specialists serve as an interface between operators and various U.S. and allied intelligence agencies, worldwide.

"The Center is the ideal location to host this," said Parker.