JTACs show off new capability during digital demo

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs, with the 607th Air Support Operations Group at Osan Air Base recently showed off new digital capabilities during a demonstration with members of the Republic of Korea Air Force.

The demonstration highlighted advanced equipment the controllers use when transmitting data digitally to aircraft in the field rather than using big, bulky, outdated equipment and transmitting everything via radio.

Tech Sgt. Jason Tonkinson, 607th ASOG, said the new equipment makes their teams lighter, faster and able to travel further distances when they are on long field missions, and he said the less equipment they have to carry, the better.

Staff Sgt. Michael Hickey, 607th ASOG, said nearly 35 pounds of gear has been replaced by a small wearable computer and the hand-held Rover 5, which makes their equipment more "practical" for the field.

"Here with the terrain, and where we're fighting in Afghanistan, it allows us to carry lighter equipment, move further and do the dismounted job in the mountains," he said. This allows the controllers to travel further with an added stealth and subtlety they haven't had in the past, he added.

Sergeant Tonkinson said the added stealth is nice, but stressed that the new digital equipment also allows the teams to transmit more data in less time with greater accuracy.

"It allows us to transmit large amounts of data rapidly to the cockpit, where the pilots get visual representations of our targets," Sergeant Hickey said. The amount of data in turn helps reduce the chance of accidents or being hit by friendly fire.

Relaying the information once with digital equipment, rather than multiple times with radios, cuts down on human error, which ensures everything is transmitted correctly the first time, he explained.

This could also be a vital feature for when controllers are on the move and have to send real-time updates during a possible hostile encounter, Sergeant Hickey said.

"The aircraft have a visual representation of the ground situation and targeting data before they ever get into the target area and the data allows the aircrews to spend more time planning for the specific [close air support] mission," he said.

To get an idea of the amount of data transferred during this kind of mission, one should think about the checks and balance a computer goes through during boot up. There are numerous processes a computer does that many people barely notice.

If someone had to send a voice transmission for each step in the process, think about how long it would take to complete.

"The computers process a large amount of data and limit the time the ground crews would actually be transmitting back and forth to the aircraft in order to attack a target," Sergeant Tonkinson.

Highlighting these new capabilities and equipment to alliance members was another part of this demonstration.

Sergeant Hickey said the benefit to ROKAF getting this upgrade wouldn't only standardize their capabilities across the JTAC career field, but it would also eliminate the language barrier.

"We will be able to send that information digitally and it will go right into the aircraft systems," he said. "Our JTACs would be able to talk to their aircraft and our aircraft could talk with their JTACs."

Sharing this capability with alliance forces would allow the joint mission here to reach new heights.

Sergeant Tonkinson said his unit members have had this new equipment for about three weeks, and they are really excited to start training more with the smaller, more portable field gear.