Weapons Airmen work together, load A-10s for Red Flag 12-4

by Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs
23d Wing Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgts. Bobby Corso (driver), Eleanor Moore and Senior Airman Christopher Tarbart, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons armament systems specialists, remove and secure an AG M65 Maverick munition off an A-10C Thunderbolt II during Red Flag 12-4 exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 16, 2012. A three man weapons load crew removed an AG M65 Maverick munition off an A-10 during its thru-flight inspection. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephanie Mancha) Hi-res

7/17/2012 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Working together as a team is part of everyday life in the United States Air Force, and being part of a weapons load crew is no different.

Aircraft armament systems Airmen from the 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., deployed here to participate in Red Flag Exercise 12-4 July 16-27. Red Flag is a multinational, multiservice air combat training exercise, which simulates a wartime environment for military units. The A-10C weapons loaders here work in three-man load crews to get aircraft armed up for missions at the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range.

Tech. Sgt. Anthony Spencer, 74th AMU, headed up the team as team chief on the first day of the exercise. His position is commonly called the "one-man." While deployed to Red Flag, he and his team will load an array of bombs and rockets. The experience gained at Red Flag by the weapons loaders offers the opportunity to load live ordnance not used at home station. Grand Bay Range in south Georgia only calls for 30 mm ammunition and the BDU-33s, and not the more powerful MK-82s and AGM-65s loaded and deployed during Red Flag.

"We have a range close to our base, but it's not suitable for high explosive bombs," Spencer said. "It's good experience to actually load live ordnance and to get experience on munitions we don't typically see."

The one-man reviews all checklists and works closely with the three-man to load the munitions onto the jammer -- a term of endearment for the bomb lift truck. The one-man walks beside the truck, keeping his hand in contact with the ordnance at all times, and guides the three-man as he drives. During a recent load at Red Flag, Senior Airman Michael Tomaski, 74th AMU, served as the three-man.

"We're the ones that inspect the munitions and the trailer and makes sure everything is safe. When the team chief straps the munitions down ... I drive the jammer to the jet and he'll walk with it," Tomaski said. "I get as close to the rack where it clips in - as close as I can - and they'll do all the fine movements to actually lock it in."

Once into position under the wing, the two-man guides the driver into position and assists the one-man with securing the ordnance.

"I'm the two-man," said Staff Sgt. Robert Smith, 74th AMU weapons. "Basically what it entails is the aircraft prep, anything having to do with the aircraft getting ready for munitions, ops checks. That's pretty much my job -- to make sure everything is set for the one and the three-man."

Once the ordnance is loaded, the aircraft is ready for its next mission. The teams work together to load the weapons as quickly, but as safely as possible.

"We are loading MK-82s, AGM-65s, BDU-33s, chaff and flare, and rockets," Spencer said. "It would be a safe bet to say in under half an hour we can have an aircraft loaded up for a typical wartime load out."

Overall the one-man holds the checklist, so he's in charge of the overall loading operation to make sure everything is done correctly. Occasionally units will have load crew competitions, putting teams against each other racing for time. It's quality training, with a grand prize of bragging rights among peers.

"It all depends on how good you are," Smith added. "Thirty minutes if you're a rookie, but less than that for more experience crews and depending on the type of munitions too."

During this year's Red Flag, Moody's pilots will fly training sorties and unleash up to eight MK-82 bombs per day and as much as 5,000 rounds from the A-10's 30 mm cannons. This capability is made air combat capability is made possible by the three Airmen who get it loaded.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Michael Tomaski, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, drives an MHU-83 bomb lift truck into position for unloading ordnance from an A-10C Thunderbolt II, July 16, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., during Red Flag 12-4 exercise. The A-10C weapons loaders here work in three-man load crews to get aircraft armed up for missions at the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs) Hi-res

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Michael Tomaski, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, positions an MHU-83 bomb lift truck into position for unloading ordnance while Staff Sgt. Robert Smith gives direction. The two Airmen are part of a three-man crew loading ordnance onto an A-10C Thunderbolt II, July 16, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., during Red Flag 12-4 exercise. Once the ordnance is loaded, the aircraft is ready for its next mission. The teams work together to load the weapons as quickly, but as safely as possible. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs) Hi-res

U.S. Staff Sgt. Robert Smith, 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, removes ordnance from an A-10C Thunderbolt II while Tech. Sgt. Anthony Spencer reviews the checklists for the load July 16, 2012, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in support of Red Flag 12-4 exercise. The experience gained at Red Flag by the weapons loaders offers the opportunity to load live ordnance not used at home station. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Sonny Cohrs) Hi-res

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