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Avionics team impresses Combat Shield inspectors

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. John Hughel
  • 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Department
PORTLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ore. --  The 142nd Fighter Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here conducted Combat Shield April 17-18 as part of the wing's ability to maintain a deterrent against enemy electronic warfare capabilities to include combat aircraft and ground based radars.

Combat Shield is an Air Force wide assessment designed to test the capabilities of an aircraft as it works to defend against specific kinds of radio frequency signatures; thus working to counter other aircraft and ground systems in a combat situation, in particular, radar that might hone in on the aircraft.

The Air Combat Command inspection team from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, evaluated several avionics flight-line members for properly maintaining overall combat capabilities of the avionics systems. Ultimately, making sure the avionics team is keeping up with the maintenance of these systems.

"They (Combat Shield inspectors) came in and hooked up couplers over the antennas, and they inject a radar system signal into that antenna, and then measure the overall response," said Senior Master Sgt. Darron Forbes, avionics element supervisor.

To ensure the Air Force F-15 Eagle aircraft are combat ready, the inspection team checked the radar warning receiver, which is part of the counter measures of the aircraft.

Echoing some of the questions, Forbes reiterated some of the details inspectors normally look at; "Does it protect itself? Does it show the symbol correctly? Does it enable the pilots to respond to his environment and protect him appropriately?"

The Airmen who were responsible and recognized for the avionics systems on the aircraft during the inspection were avionic system specialist Tech. Sgts. Trevor Alf and Matthew Johns, Staff Sgt. Bryson Colipano, and Senior Airman Andrew Dixon.

"These guys are very knowledgeable of these systems. They work hard and they get into these airplanes and really learn them," Forbes said.

The avionics system specialists maintained the "tip to tail" of the F-15 avionics portion of the aircraft, to include: radar systems, the tactual control systems, communication navigation, and flight controls.

All-in-all the training, teamwork, and troubleshooting effectively gave the group an 83 percent pass rating on the 12 jets inspected. The average Air Force rating is 53 percent.

"Our great rating is also due to our great back shop that works with the gear when we pull it off the aircraft and then turn it. They were a big part of this process as well," Forbes said.

Noting other accomplishments during Combat Shield, Lt. Col. Christopher Lantagne, 142nd Fighter Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander, said the team found, "both joint services electronic combat test set testers were maintained impeccably and were fully mission capable."

Lantagne commented the Combat Shield team was impressed with the overall avionics department, saying, "It is evident that we give attention to the electronic warfare capabilities of our aircraft."

Giving the pilots the best product to work with is the foremost goal for the avionics department.

"We take a great deal of pride in ownership," said Forbes. "These guys make my job easy, and I would put any of my technicians up against any guard or other F-15 unit."