Missions Aim To Keep Al-Qaeda Out Of Iraq
During their current deployment with USS Theodore
Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing
(CVW) 8, the "Scouts" of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 24 have taken
the capabilities of the S-3B Viking to a new level.
Since late October, in addition to performing their normal
missions of conducting in-flight refueling for CVW-8 and
surveillance operations for Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group
(TRCSG) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and maritime
security operations (MSO), the Scouts have also been flying
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in
support of British-led coalition ground forces of Multinational
Division -- Southeast (MND-SE), which are conducting operations in
the southern part of Iraq. Helicopters flying from Theodore
Roosevelt have been conducting similar missions in MND-SE, as
well.
MSO set the conditions for security and stability in the
maritime environment as well as complement the counter-terrorism
and security efforts of regional nations. MSO deny international
terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or
to transport personnel, weapons, or other material.
"Initially HS-3 (Helicopter Squadron 3) was [the first to
provide] support in the area, and the British forces were looking
for more support from the air wing," said VS-24 Operations Officer,
Lt. Cmdr. Michael Mansisidor. "The long range and endurance of the
Viking makes the platform perfect for this mission. We can still do
our tanking and other missions here, while being able to support
MND-SE with four assets."
Mansisidor said that along with the new mission came new
challenges for VS-24. For the aircrews, the challenge was to learn
the geography of Iraq.
"We had to prepare all the air crews for going over the beach
and how to talk to the air controllers on the ground," Mansisidor
said. "They would tell us to go and look at certain areas, and
initially it wasn’t easy to find these places. It was a huge
learning curve because we had never done this before."
For VS-24’s maintainers, the challenge involves increased
monitoring of the Vikings’ surveillance equipment to keep it
fine-tuned to produce sharper imagery needed by intelligences
forces on the ground.
"We are using our
equipment in different ways now and the crew had to step up to the
plate for this," said Chief Aviation Electronics Technician (AW/SW)
Jason Kelly, VS-24 AT/AE branch chief.
"It’s different than identifying ships because you can
pretty much tell what they are by their antennas, or the location
of their masts," said Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class
(AW) Alfonso Moroni.
Moroni said keeping the equipment up to speed requires frequent
inquiries with the air crews about the performance of the
equipment, and also there is more of a need to keep Aircraft
Intermediate Maintenance personnel up to date on maintenance
requirements.
VS-24 has successfully conducted nearly 150 sorties in support
of MND-SE since late October, and will continue to provide support
for the duration of the deployment. The squadron’s ability to
keep with its normal missions and provide support for MND-SE,
allows CVW-8 to maintain maximum sorties in other regions of Iraq
with its F-14 Tomcats and F/A-18 Hornets.
(Aero-News Salutes Journalist 2nd Class Stephens Murphy, USS
Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs)
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