Air Force Gets Aggressive -- With Itself -- About Combat
Training
To become the best
airmen in the world, the Air Force trains against the best
airmen in the world.
Aggressors, as they’re known, scrimmage against their
fellow Airmen, much like football teams preparing for a game.
Traditionally, aggressors have focused on aircrews -- but in the
near future, the Air Force is expanding instruction to encompass
ground, space and cyberspace training, as well as streamlining the
way air combat is taught.
"Aggressors are about training, pure and simple," said Maj. Gen.
Norman Seip, assistant deputy chief of staff for air, space and
information operations. "They train to replicate the tactics a
potential enemy might use. Then they take those tactics and use
them against Airmen preparing to go to the fight."
The 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base, NV
has managed this type of training since 1972, when the Air Force
realized it needed to train its aircrews more effectively. During
the Korean War, the Air Force benefited from a 10-to-1 ratio in
defeating enemy fighters; that ratio dropped to 1-to-1 during
Vietnam.
The Air Force can’t let that happen again, General Seip
said.
The threat, however, is no longer just air-to-air or
surface-to-air. Airmen must be prepared against different types of
attacks. In addition to the F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons
the 57th flies, there are aggressors for space, cyberspace and
information operations.
In fact, this type of training is so important the Air Force has
dedicated aggressors whose sole mission is to operate as potential
adversaries in every realm the service operates. For example, pilot
aggressors train as air-to-air threats, while information operation
aggressors train Airmen to counter tactics like enemy propaganda
and false rumors, General Seip said.
Aggressor training won’t be limited to just the US Air
Force. The program includes officers from the other services, as
well as from other nations. In addition, the Air Force Reserve and
Air National Guard hold significant roles.
"This is some of the best training in the world, so it only
makes sense to include the total force, our sister services and
some of our coalition partners," General Seip said.
While the tactics group will be the managing organization,
Nellis isn’t the only place Airmen will receive aggressor
training. Geographically separated space and information operations
units will also conduct and receive the training.
When its Airmen aren’t preparing for training exercises at
Nellis, the 57th will send its aggressors on "road shows" to
various bases. The tours will ensure Airmen who need the training
will get it, General Seip said.
"Regardless of their job in the Air Force, we need to do
everything to make it possible for our expeditionary Airmen to
succeed," General Seip said. "Our job is to prepare the force to
take on the threat, wherever it may come from. Aggressor training
does just that."
(Aero-News salutes Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski.)