OCR Text |
Show 1 MISSION nn .May 24, 1991 H.Htop Times D1n)( offl(ol 1 s I i ft logistics role well, supplying troops at war Fills J f I . i n - K V r ' A ' -- 'I rJ J f V : : ( AFB, Ohio (AFLCNS) Already, the air power of Operation Desert Storm is legendary. From heavy airlift to electronic warfare to strategic and tactical bombing raids, it was WRIGHT-PATTERSO- N devastating. But who supported the Air Force fighting units to make it happen? Answer: Air Force Logistics Command. With the motto "Combat Strength Through Logistics," the unique command provided the sustaining reinforcement to the front-lin- e air the be to a decisive it force, giving capacity major, factor in the gulf war. AFLC is some 90,000 people strong. Approximately 81,000, or 90 percent, of the work force are civilians. They buy, supply, transport and maintain military equipment and hardware to keep flying units combat ready in peacetime and sustain combat operations in war. During Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the command served as the Air Force's "war store." AFLC was hard at its mission long before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait Aug. 2, 1990. The command keeps units ready to enter combat by supplyresources to support ing parts and combat operations until the supply pipelines start flowing. The command also performs depot maintenance at the logistics centers. Routine maintenance is accomplished at the individual bases owning the aircraft. However, as part of the scheduled maintenance program, major periodic overhaul and modifications unique to each type of aircraft must be accomplished at the five air logistics centers. This is a massive renewal on a scale that cannot be performed at the unit level and requires taking an aircraft out of servpre-positioni- ice for weeks or months at a time. The command was fulfilling its peacetime responsibilities by keeping the planes ready for war long before the Iraqis rolled south. In the almost overnight transition from peacetime to wartime, the headquarters at Wright-Patterso- n AFB energized its battle staff to serve as the nerve center for global activities. Battle staffs also were activated at the air logistics centers and the Aerospace Guidance and Metrology Center, Newark AFB, Ohio. Via sophisticated communications, all operated as a unified, integrated system. coast-to-coa- st "Dosert Express" To get critical spare parts to the war zone, the command created "Desert Express." Working with Starlifters, Military Airlift Command and its Desert Express moved high priority cargo, primarily aircraft parts. A lack of these parts could ground the fighters. The system reduced the identification and delivery time to the war theater from 6 days to two or three days, depending on source and desC-1- 41 15-1- tination. When the call came from the Defense Department to start moving supplies to the gulf, there were numerous aircraft in the centers undergoing depot maintenance. The work force at San Antonio ALC, Kelly AFB, Texas, is responsible for overhauling the C-cavernous, 549,000-poun- d Galaxy transport. to rallied the accelerated and order the overThey s haul of 10 with no shortcuts or safety comalso accelerated five 2 center The promises. Stratofortress bombers. In addition to aircraft acceleration, Kelly served as a major distribution pipeline to the Middle East. It surged and shipped 539,183 propulsion parts and accelerated the overhaul of 45 jet engines. The center also was involved in the deployment of a new technology cooling vest. Essentially it is a portable central cooling source with connections to 10 vests that are donned by individuals and used to lower plus body temperatures in the searing heat of the Middle East desert. It was the same at all the centers. At Robins AFB, Ga., Warner Robins ALC accelerated 39 Starlifters. The center also is responsible for the 5 C-5- B-5- 120-degr- ee C-14- 1 i If iiniiii U.S. Air Force Photo Airtight seal Sgt. Shawn Scott, a munitions inspector in the 2721st Munitions Maintenance and Test Squadron, heat seals a bag around munitions to keep moisture out. pot maintenance of the 5 Eagle fighter fleet, about 900 aircraft. The base is located 15 miles (? F-1- south of Macon, Ga. Its 19,000 military and civilians also are responsible for the Low Altitude Navigational Targeting Infrared for Night System, known as LANTIRN. The system enables pilots to fly low, hugging the dunes in the middle of the night, and still be able to clearly see where they are going at about 500 mph. The advantage of this system is that enemies cannot stop you because they cannot find you. The center has missiles, too. The Georgia facility is the manager for, among other systems, the AIM-and AIM-- high flying harpoons. AIM is an acronym for air intercept missile. The AIM-- Sparrow, a radar guided missile and the AIM-- Sidewinder, an infrared heat seeker, must be maintained to exacting standards. 7 9 7 9 Varied roles At Hill AFB, Ogden ALC gave a purpose to the fighters flying over their targets in the Middle East: the center delivered the bombs and bullets to the fighter units. Shipments of munitions from Ogden ALC totaled approximately 557,000 tons. The center is the logistics manager for all conventional munitions and explosives used throughout the Air Force. Ogden ALC also provides logistics and maintenance support for some of the most sophisticated weapon systems used in Desert Storm. It is responsible for managing and repairing the 6 Fighting Falcon as well as the old the F-- 4 F-1- war-hors- e, Phantom. The F-- 4 flew the Wild Weasel missions in Desert s flew over enemy territory, where Storm. The F-4- they sought out suspected missiles and killed them. Additionally, Ogden ALC supported the gulf conflict by providing landing gear, wheels, brakes and reconnaissance equipment to flysurface-to-ai- r ing units. At Tinker AFB, Okla., Oklahoma City ALC distinguished itself during Desert Shield and Storm by being the second largest aerial port operation in the United States. Only Dover AFB, Del, which is a MAC port, was busier. Before Desert Shield, cargo loaders were moving about 60 tons a day at the center. After the early days of August, that freight volume increased to 300 tons per day. All types of cargo were processed through Oklahoma City ALC, including food, medical supplies, aircraft parts and clothing. During peak periods, 79 trucks arrived daily along with 20 military and commercial aircraft to move supplies to the military forces in Saudi Arabia. At the end of hostilities, Oklahoma City ALC had handled a staggering 40,000 tons of cargo. At McClellan AFB, Calif., Sacramento ALC accumulated an impressive 162,000 hours of overtime by the civilian work force. One facet of maintenance work where Sacramento ALC kept Desert Storm fly ing was in the repair of spoilers. The spoilers are major, critical components that determine airspeed and maneuverability on the fully loaded, B-5- 2 aircraft. Other members at Sacramento ALC deployed to forward operating locations. Members of the 2951st Combat Logistics Support Squadron provided support by repairing aircraft that had been missiles. damaged by gunfire or by surface-to-ai- r While other bases also deployed CLSS teams, the one from Sacramento ALC specialized in the and bat Thunderbolt II. Sacramento ALC is responsible for the depot maintenance of the plane, nicknamed the Warthog. This support aircraft was used against and other armored, vehicles. enemy tanks Newark AFB, outside Columbus, Ohio, is a comparatively small installation. But as home of the AGMC, its function had a direct and extraordinary impact on the success of Desert Storm. AGMC is the only source in the Air Force for repairing inertial guidance and navigation systems for aircraft and missiles. It has a 105,000-pounportable laboratory that was sent to Saudi Arabia to calibrate laser guidance systems on aircraft that 488,000-poun- d ry now-fame- d tie-test- A-1- ed 0 air-to-grou- d dispense "smart" weapons. action Front-Kin- o Furthermore, the lab maintained control and radar equipment for the Patriot missile and The systems. equipment personnel were on the front lines with their Field Assistance Support Team for Calibration, or FASTCAL, one month after the Kuwaiti invasion. Applied to almost every U.S. aircraft in the gulf, FASTCAL provided the best insurance for guided weapons hitting their marks. During the war, base personnel serviced approximately 4,500 pieces of allied equipment. AFLC has been and. continues modernizing its computer equipment. The Weapons System Management Information System was critical in the execution of Desert Storm. This management track mechanism allowed the command to war readiness and sustainability resources. The command was better able to maximize its control of war materiel. More importantly, it could identify and predict what activities to initiate to head off shortfalls or problems regarding critical supplies. This approach was successfully applied to the Galaxy transport aircraft, permitting it to fly four times its peacetime sortie rates during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Employees at the Aerospace Maintenance and AFB, Ariz., Regeneration Center, also pitched in to support the war. The AFLC center shipped about 1,600 spare parts to cover critical shortages during Desert Storm. Parts were stripped from old aircraft stored at the center. Aircraft benefiting from the project were the Air Force's OV-1- 0 and the Navy's P-Scud-bustin- g real-tim- e C-- 5 Davis-Montha- n B-5- 2, C-13- 0, F-ll- l, 3. |