Airmen from the 111th ASOS train in the UK


Members of the 111 Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) and the SO3 Air Support Operations Center (ASOC), Royal Air Force (RAF), work together using the QuickStrike simulator during a joint service training exercise at Airfield Camp, Netheravon, on June 17, 2008. US Air Force (USAF) and RAF Tactical Air Controllers gathered at Netheravon so the USAF airmen could provide training to the RAF Airmen on the QuickStrike simulator that the 111th ASOS has developed. (United States Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Douglas C. Olsen)

Airmen from the 111th ASOS train in the UK

by TSgt Douglas Olsen
194th MSG/VI

12/16/2008 - Operation Allied Bustard, Salisbury Plain Training Area, June 2008 -- In June of 2008, a group of airmen from the 111th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS), Camp Murray, Washington, packed their bags, loaded them on a KC-135 Stratotanker at McChord Air Force Base and flew to England to train their Royal Air Force counterparts. The exercise was labeled Allied Bustard by the British and it highlighted a training simulator new to the RAF, called QuickStrike.

The QuickStrike simulator was originally developed by the 111th ASOS. The simulator has become the standard training tool for controllers within the US Air Force ASOC community and the RAF AOCC(L) has purchased the simulator to use as their main training tool.

The allies met at a small air base in the middle of the 94,000 acre Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) named Air Camp Netheravon where DRASH (Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelters) shelters were set up to house the computers, radios and other equipment that form the heart of the simulator. During the next few days, the British airmen ran air support problems on the simulator with their American comrades standing by to observe and advise.

According to Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Scott Whitmore, commanding officer of the 111th ASOS, 'Allied Bustard is an exercise intended to accomplish two major objectives. The first objective is to provide a world-class pre-deployment training opportunity for the Royal Air Force to augment other USAF ASOC (Air Support Operations Center) units currently deployed to the Afghanistan theatre of operations. The second is to provide a great Annual Training opportunity for the 111th ASOS personnel.' 'The RAF Air Operations Coordination Centre (Land) (AOCC(L)) is developing the organic capability to provide the same command and control procedures and capacity as a US ASOC (like the 111th),' LTC Whitmore added.

'The RAF has previously augmented the 111th ASOS and the 168th ASOS while deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan. The 111th ASOS deployed Quickstrike to ALLIED BUSTARD to provide hands on training to the RAF in preparation for receipt and integration of their simulator,' Whitmore said.