Down under, across sky with Talisman Saber

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jeff M. Nagan
  • Talisman Saber Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  Throughout the month of July, thousands of U.S. troops were deployed - not just to Iraq or Afghanistan, but to Guam, Hawaii and Australia as part of Exercise Talisman Saber 2009. 

The biannual, joint and coalition exercise saw U.S. and Australian forces working together to achieve a series of common objectives July 13-25. Talisman Saber required weaving land, air and sea components together in an environment that simulates closely an actual operation, complete with real-time air strikes with live ordnance. 

"It was a very complex exercise integrating the field training and command post exercise objectives," said Col. Randy Moser, chief of the combat operations division at the 613th Air and Space Operations Center here. "We had a joint and coalition force working together as a solid combat operations team." 

For Talisman Saber 2009, the 613th AOC was the never center for air operations, ranging from Guam to Sydney. The exercise included U.S. and Australian fighters, refuelers and cargo aircraft. 

"The AOC and combat operations are critical to execute any conflict or contingency," said Colonel Moser, a Phoenix native who has been the combat operations division chief for one year. "We execute the operational plan, to include missions such as dynamic targeting, integrating air and missile defense, attack operations, close air support, interdiction and personnel recovery. We're also responsible for the data link and communications architecture." 

For those who have never seen an AOC, the combination of a multitude of career fields spanning the length of one large command and control room can be a bit intimidating.  Compounding matters, U.S. Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, along with Australian air, naval and ground forces, must work together to synchronize the actions of hundreds of real-world, simulated and computerized aircraft. 

Despite the vast battle space and diversity of participating forces, the AOC was able to overcome challenges to accomplish a variety of missions, said Royal Australian Air Force Group Captain Glenn Nattrass, deputy 613th AOC director for Talisman Saber 2009. 

"Talisman Saber provided an opportunity to integrate my AOC staff with U.S. forces here," said RAAF Group Captain Nattrass, who is the director for the Headquarters Command, Joint Operations AOC, in Canberra, Australia. "This was a great opportunity to learn how an AOC runs an actual campaign. We'll take those lessons back with us." 

Although the exercise was deemed a success, there were challenges, said Group Captain Nattrass. Communications across such a vast area can be difficult to maintain. 

"As with all exercises and contingencies, there are some hiccups when getting started - this was no exception," said Colonel Moser. "Communications limitations, specifically collaboration tools, were the first major obstacle we overcame. But we have a strong communication team, and we quickly went to backup tools that allowed us to prosecute the exercise in a coordinated fashion." 

Despite several weeks of planning prior to the start of Talisman Saber 2009, some fixes needed to be done on the spot, said Senior Airman Douglas M. Wagner II, a member of the 613th AOC plans and integrations team. 

Each problem offered an opportunity to learn how to be better prepared for the next exercise or contingency, and participants can take those lessons back with them to their home units, Airman Wagner said. 

"This was a good exercise with a lot of requirements," said Airman Wagner, an Orlando native. "It was great to witness an exercise on this massive scale and know if something were to really happen, we can come together as one team and work together as one unit." 

U.S. and Australian forces worked together across the whole range of operations, said Group Captain Nattrass. In addition to running air operations in the AOC, the coalition team participated in various field training exercises throughout the Australian continent. 

"Both Australians and Americans enjoy working together," said Group Captain Nattrass. "We have fought along side each other in every major conflict. We have shed a lot of blood together. There is no greater partnership than that between Australia and the U.S."