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Kerry Barrett Reporting When you think of the Air Force going to help in the global war on terror, a lot of us may mistakenly think those types of missions begin and end with the pilots. That's not the case.
The relation between jets to the number of people it takes to support them can be as high as 100- to- one. About 300 pilots, maintenance experts and operations support personnel just deployed from the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, headed to Balad Air Base in Iraq.
As you might suspect, a deployment of this size doesn't come together at the snap of a finger. They've been training every day, for years.
We know what they do, but not many know how they do it. A glimpse behind the scenes, a chance to see how these pilots become warriors, how the jets are maintained, with every detail assuring they work together, and are ready for war.
They're buckling down especially hard right now... but, they're always training. Pilots getting used to G- forces in the F-16-- up to nine times the force of gravity.
War games.. Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, where these pilots go up against every plane, every expert, in every situation, all with the goal of preparing for the worst.
Capt. Aaron "Ice" Jelinek, Deploying Pilot: "Although we're going to be carrying live weapons and doing the real mission over there, it should look to us like the same thing we do every day out in the air space, training wise."
First, the modular control equipment. They work in exact opposition to air traffic control. Instead of keeping planes apart, they work to bring them together.
Everything they need to do that is held within.
Master Sgt. David A. Harrison: "We can take one, two, four or five boxes depending on how big of an airspace we're going to own."
The center of any mission is getting information and dispersing it to pilots. The entire base goes through regular excercises. How quickly is everyone contacted, accounted for? How soon they're ready.
"We've been preparing for it for so long. That's all we do is train, train, train. Just get ready for what we are going to be doing over there."
"Over there" they support troops on the ground.
Lt. Col. Peter "Gunz" Gersten/ Com. 4th Fighter Squadron: "If they run into hostile fire, if they're ambushed, if they're suspectful of something that's in their way, for example a roadside weapon that may go off, we'll be called forward."
Preparing for a responsibility that big is no small task. Everything they do is aimed at exactly that. Flying low approaches, touch-and-go's, co-ordinating and communicating with Air Traffic Control.
Night flying... important in learning how to navigate in unfamiliar territory, using instruments only, getting familar with night vision goggles.
Practicing dropping bombs expertly and accurately. That's what these F-16's do best.
"Responsible for day-night 24 hour precision guided munitions delivery. Lethal employment of the F-16."
Re-fueling jets in flight... not more than a few feet apart, nearing the speed of sound. Keeping flight controls working, engines running at peak performance, maintenance timed and checked as weapons are loaded and unloaded.
"It's got to have high-tech technologies in the cockpit. They are magnificantly high-tech. They're one of the best airplanes this world has ever seen."
Everyone.. focused on constant improvment, staying sharp, staying at the top of their game.
The airmen deployed are from several squadrons at Hill, the 4th Fighter Squadron, the Equipment Maintenance Squadron, the Component Maintenance Squadron, the Maintenance Operation Squadron and the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Each group plays a very specific role as part of the Aerospace Expeditionary Force, or A- E- F.
The A- E- F is a cross section of talent and speciality tailored to meet the needs currently being seen in theatre.
Coming up tomorrow morning on Eyewitness News Today, we are continuing our look behind the scenes at the preparation, dedication and comraderie it takes to assure a mission like this one is successful, and helps the people who need it on the ground.
"We are responsible for providing immediate cover for them. They can call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we will be on the spot to help them complete their mission."
As the Wing moves closer to deployment, they begin to tailor their training to the specific needs of the theatre they'll be deploying to. They up the intensity and begin to check off the million details they need to complete as the deadline nears.
