147th Reconnaissance Wing reaches 100K flying hours on MQ-1 Predator

by 1st Lt. Alicia Lacy
147th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

11/8/2015 - November 8, 2011 --
The 147th Reconnaissance Wing, Texas Air National Guard, reached 100,000 flying hours on the MQ-1B Predator aircraft, here, Oct. 8.

The wing accomplished this milestone seven short years after receiving its mission to fly the aircraft.

"There have been many milestones along the way for the 111th [Reconnaissance Squadron] since Ellington took on this mission, and there will continue to be more, but this is a very significant accomplishment," said Lt. Col. David Peck, 111th Reconnaissance Squadron commander. "To put 100,000 hours in context, that amount of time is equivalent to flying for 11.41 years non-stop, and we did it in just seven years."

In 2005, the then-147th Fighter Wing's converted from F-16 Fighting Falcons, replacing them with the reconnaissance aircraft, with plans for the unit to be fully equipped and operational by 2009. This change required airmen to adjust and re-train on a new aircraft that began its initial operational capability in the U.S. Air Force only a few years before the wing took its first flight July 2008.

The accomplishment cannot only be attributed to the pilots who fly the mission, but to the entire wing, from the member charged with writing orders to the maintainers who keep the aircraft mission ready and the combatant commanders who use the aircraft in theater.

"We have had to forge and maintain working relationships with a host of organizations over the years," Peck said. "Additionally, we count on support from our advocates at NGB to give us the funding, manpower and voice we need to enable these missions.

"I deeply appreciate the constant hard work and professionalism required by the 147th Reconnaissance Wing to accomplish this milestone, and the great state of Texas can expect impressive achievements from the 147th for years to come," said Col. Gary Jones, vice wing commander.

MQ-1s test deployment capability in Latvia

by Capt. Holly Hess
USAFE Public Affairs

8/31/2015 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Two MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) and approximately 70 Airmen deployed to Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia to test the unit's ability to forward deploy, and to conduct air operations while assuring NATO allies of our commitment to regional security and stability.

Airmen and aircraft from the 147th Reconnaissance Wing of the Texas Air National Guard based in Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, began arriving in Latvia Aug. 24. This temporary deployment of aircraft and personnel will continue through mid-September.

"The big win is being able to rapidly deploy, setup shop, fly and exercise all of the agreements, arrangements and relationships that went into making this happen. It validates basing and airspace arrangements, operations and host-nation agreements in a very real way," said Lt. Col. Christopher Recker from the operations directorate at U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Headquarters.

"This will test mobility, maintenance and logisticians arranging airlift," he said. "Personnel have to make decisions about bandwidth, satellite communication, frequency allocation and frequency clearing."

Once validated, this model may be used as a responsive and flexible option for operations in the future.

"This is not a one-time operating zone. We created an airspace arrangement that is enduring, so when we need to go back, it will be available," said Recker.

Another portion of this deployment is intelligence training. It is based on a platform called the European Partner Integration Enterprise (EPIE) which provides a mechanism for sharing intelligence information with coalition allies and partners.

Two intelligence officers from Poland and each of the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia were invited to participate.

"While the crew is flying in Latvia, we will sit shoulder-to-shoulder with our Baltic allies and teach them how we go through full-motion video processing," said Lt. Col. Anthony Bellione, USAFE-AFAFRICA commander's action group chief.

Although the deployment is not gathering intelligence information for operational use, it tests the ability to share intelligence information, and tests the capabilities of the secure-NATO pipeline used to disseminate intelligence products.

"The intent is to reassure our allies, by showing them a different capability set. This is the intelligence component that deepens our commitment with our NATO partners in the region," said Bellione.

The squadron will also conduct partner familiarization on RPA operations.

"Utilizing a satellite data link, the squadron will familiarize our Latvian allies on long-range flights so participants understand the opportunities and challenges of RPA operations," Recker said. "Additionally, there are plans for NATO joint terminal attack controllers to receive training calling in airstrikes in coordination with A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and information received from MQ-1s."

During operations, air controllers coordinate airspace traffic based on host-nation agreements to ensure safe operations.

"The Predator will operate in positively controlled airspace. Everyone in that airspace is participating, which means all aircraft are in voice and radar contact with controllers, taking vectors, climbing and descending," said Bellione. "U.S. Air Force pilots are at the controls actively flying the airplane every moment of the flight."

"This is a weapons system that enables the most powerful aspects of the warfighting cycle. It enables information to be distributed to decision makers, and allows tactical pause when necessary to make smart decisions. All of that saves lives, saves resources and influences a lot of decisions," said Recker.

This deployment is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative which demonstrates America's solemn commitment to reinforce the safety and territorial integrity of our allies and partners, in addition to strengthening the security and capacity of allies and partners in the region.

Through these strengthened relationships and engagements, the U.S. alongside European allies and partners, train to meet future security challenges and demonstrate a shared commitment to a safe and secure Europe.

AF rolls out details to improve RPA mission

By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs , / Published July 15, 2015

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- In response to a critical shortage of remotely piloted aircraft pilots, the Air Force rolled out more details of its plan to fix the problem in both the short and long term. The most recent initiatives include creating bonuses for RPA pilots of $15,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2016; placing some newly minted pilots in RPA squadrons beginning in August; and investing more than $100 million to buy more ground control stations, simulators and contract instructors.

"In a complex global environment, RPA pilots will always be in demand," said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. "Remarkable Airmen have ensured the success of the (MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper) programs. We now face a situation where if we don't direct additional resources appropriately, it creates unacceptable risk. We are working hard to put solutions in place to bring needed relief to our Airmen and ensure our actions show their value to our mission."

Bonus pay

The Air Force is looking at special and incentive pays to enhance recruiting and retention, as well as recognize RPA pilot contributions to the mission, according to officials. Under this proposal RPA pilots would be able to choose between a Critical Skills Retention Bonus of five years at $15,000 per year or nine years at $15,000 per year. This bonus is similar in value and commitment to what has been offered to aviators in the past who have similar training and experience. Members who choose either the five- or nine-year option would also be eligible to receive 50 percent payment upfront.

"We will continue to maintain a persistent focus on this mission set and bring about the necessary relief to sustain operations responsibly," James said. "This is a high demand mission set. It is a national security imperative that we get this right."

Undergraduate pilot training graduates to RPA

As another part of the solution, about 80 UPT graduates over the next 12 months will be assigned to RPA positions for one assignment tour to help alleviate growing pressure on overtaxed RPA crews. Air Force pilot training bases are at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Vance AFB; Oklahoma; and Sheppard AFB, Texas. The current plan is to only use the UPT pipeline for one year while the RPA-unique training pipeline increases from approximately 190 to 300 RPA pilot graduates per year. The last time the Air Force placed a UPT graduate directly into the RPA career field was 2011.

“The most critical challenge we face in this mission area is a shortage of RPA pilots and the UPT grads are the fastest way to address that shortfall without sacrificing mission capability in other platforms,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III. “Actions we take today will allow the Air Force to continue to provide world-class, strike-ready (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) over the battlefield and enhance overall combat capability."

As part of the get-well plan, the move to place UPT graduates as RPA pilots addresses a constant demand for real-time ISR in support of combatant commander needs. Those UPT graduates selected will get the requisite RPA training for the MQ-1B or MQ-9.

"Those selected for RPA duties will serve one tour and then be placed in manned aircraft if desired after completion of that tour," Welsh said. "This will help the Air Force achieve a healthy steady state for the RPA enterprise as soon as possible."

Additional RPA investments and improvements

In addition to the initiative to place UPT graduates directly into the RPA enterprise, the Air Force increased the use of Guard and Reserve Airmen as well as contractors in order to bring relief to a community in high demand. In April, Air Force leadership worked with the Defense Department to bring relief as the secretary of Defense adjusted the number of required combat air patrols from 65 to 60 by October. Air Force leaders are currently working reprogramming actions within the DOD and Congress to reallocate funding to critical areas like the RPA program.

The $100 million is part of the omnibus and subject to congressional approval. The omnibus is a tool available to move funds to areas identified as critical mission need areas. Initiatives include buying six next-generation ground control stations, more training simulators and associated facilities, improved software tools, and accelerating the development of automatic takeoff and landing capability.

“On average, an MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilot flies up to 900 hours per year,” James said. “In comparison, fighter pilots fly an average of 250 hours. Due to the demand for services, the MQ-1/9 enterprise is the second largest in the regular Air Force behind only C-17 (Globemaster III) pilots.”

The Air Force is also turning its attention to ensure appropriate manning deficits are addressed in MQ-1/9 training and at the RPA schoolhouse. The Air Force will increase instructor pilot manning at the MQ-1B and MQ-9 Formal Training Unit from 61 to 100 percent due to the combat air patrol reduction and the Air National Guard assistance.

"We must fully man the MQ-1/9 schoolhouse in order to increase student throughput and replenish the force," Welsh said. "The current demand puts requirements for active-duty RPA pilots at about 300 per year, but our current active-duty training production output is only 180 pilots per year. We are projected to hit 3 million flight hours this fall. We have to get this right."

The first MQ-1 operation occurred in 1995. In August 2011, the Predator surpassed 1 million hours of total development, test, training, and combat. In October 2013, the MQ-1 and MQ-9 RPAs accumulated 2 million flight hours. It took 16 years for the community to reach 1 million hours and a mere 2.5 years to double those flight hours. The Air Force expects the undergraduate RPA pilot pipeline to produce enough RPA pilots to sustain current operations by 2017.