35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
4/30/2013 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- An F-16 Fighting Falcon's radar warning receiver emits an eerie, distinct pattern as it soars over the Northern Pacific Ocean, moving closer and closer toward hostile territory. The warning tone means one thing -- missiles are inbound.
More alert now than ever before, with adrenaline pumping through every part of the pilot's being, it's time for action. The flight suits they wear -- originally created to keep the pilots warmer -- now serve an opposite purpose, soaking up feverish sweat in preparation to suppress the enemy.
This can end two ways -- a surface-to-air missile rips through the jet or the enemy radar SAM site is fiercely rendered useless, putting it to an immortal sleep.
This intense training scenario is the new norm for 35th Fighter Wing pilots as it provides the most effective real-life training they have encountered in more than 50 years here.
A team effort between the U.S. Air Force and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force has brought this robust simulated combat environment to the fight, implementing field training exercises for both U.S. and joint forces and setting the stage for Large Force Employment training.
The 35 FW is home of the Wild Weasel, the only Suppression of Enemy Air Defense assets in the Pacific Air Forces theater.
Previous SEAD training was primarily executed during biannual Red Flag exercises which have since been suspended due to recent Department of Defense budget constraints.
Although in its early stages, Capt. Chris Behrens, 35 FW weapons systems commander, said the capabilities this training provides can be monumental, adding that the wing has been actively moving in this direction for some time now.
"It's good both ways -- (JGSDF) get to defend themselves and simulate shooting at F-16s, and they have a great time doing that, and we get to react and simulate shooting back at them," Behrens said. "It's a great training opportunity, it's huge."
Because of the previous lack of SAM sites for WW pilots to train with, which were none, the JGSDF have knocked down a barrier that now allows pilots to track and identify emitters put out from Japanese SAM sites, allowing U.S. pilots to train to save their jet while simulating shooting back.
As a result of this joint effort, these types of defensive exercises now have the capability to take place daily, whereas previous operations were limited to only a few times a year abroad or were entirely simulated.
When simulated training took precedence, Behrens said "pilots would literally tell their wingmen, 'hey, you're being targeted', and instead now we actually have a missile site simulating shooting at us and showing up on our real-life systems so we can react and simulate engaging."
A critical ingredient that has accelerated the training process was gaining access to the Gaicho airspace, an area over the Northern Pacific Ocean that connects the airspace over the ocean to the mainland.
The Gaicho airspace hosts an area known as Draughon Range, a location where pilots are authorized to drop live ordnance.
"This airspace allows us to train for our full Wild Weasel mission, using real targets to drop bombs for realistic training and mission employment," said Capt. Thomas Mueller, 35th Operations Support Squadron chief of wing training. "We will fly every type of mission here and use it regularly."
The benefits of this addition have already made their mark, as 35 OSS Commander Lt. Col. Dave Lyons said he thinks the acquisition of this airspace has had the biggest impact on 35 FW combat training since the arrival of the F-16 at Misawa.
It's an asset that serves a dual purpose.
"Japanese air and ground forces benefit greatly as well, as the Gaicho airspace connects Bravo airspace to these SAM emitters, allowing the JGSDF to train on real air threats too," Mueller added. "Training against real threats will increase the capability of both Japanese and U.S. forces."
"This may be the most important thing that has happened here in the last 20 years," Behrens said. "We now have some great training moving forward to continue to be the best."
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