WEBVTT

00:04.940 --> 00:07.640
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Brandt D A N

00:07.640 --> 00:11.420
I E L . B R A N T . I'm the Director of

00:11.420 --> 00:14.130
operations for the nine 64th

00:14.140 --> 00:16.820
expeditionary air control squadron .

00:16.820 --> 00:19.220
Originally from Tinker Air Force Base

00:19.390 --> 00:21.800
as the director of operations . My job ,

00:21.810 --> 00:24.440
I'm I'm responsible for all the flying

00:24.440 --> 00:27.010
and I uh squadron and make sure that

00:27.010 --> 00:29.190
the crews are properly trained and

00:29.190 --> 00:31.560
organized , prepared to execute the

00:31.560 --> 00:35.200
mission and just make sure that the

00:35.210 --> 00:37.900
mission is accomplished for the at we

00:37.900 --> 00:41.430
operate the three century AWACS , which

00:41.430 --> 00:43.708
is airborne warning and control system .

00:43.708 --> 00:46.410
Our mission is to provide command and

00:46.410 --> 00:48.580
control and air air battle management

00:48.580 --> 00:51.380
and the are essentially , we can set up

00:51.380 --> 00:54.310
an orbit anywhere and provide an air

00:54.310 --> 00:58.260
picture out to a Are capable ability of

00:58.260 --> 01:01.310
our radar is 250 , approximately 250

01:01.310 --> 01:03.540
miles . And we can pass that picture to

01:03.540 --> 01:05.540
all the other players where they're

01:05.540 --> 01:07.762
airborne on the ground . Typically will

01:07.762 --> 01:09.984
take off depending on the length of the

01:09.984 --> 01:12.207
mission where every fuel and then we'll

01:12.207 --> 01:14.740
enter our orbit . We'll talk to various

01:14.740 --> 01:17.350
airplanes well , we can see see

01:17.350 --> 01:19.350
airplanes , both the friendlies and

01:19.350 --> 01:22.690
other aircraft primarily will pass

01:22.690 --> 01:25.840
information to make sure that the

01:25.840 --> 01:28.320
airplanes that were controlling of the

01:28.330 --> 01:30.386
in the right place at the right time

01:30.386 --> 01:32.608
with the right information . So whether

01:32.608 --> 01:35.050
they need to refuel with the tanker or

01:35.060 --> 01:37.171
pass information for a fighter that's

01:37.171 --> 01:39.338
supporting troops in contact . What we

01:39.338 --> 01:41.338
bring to the fight is the fact that

01:41.338 --> 01:43.171
we're mobile and they can put us

01:43.171 --> 01:45.227
anywhere were needed as opposed to a

01:45.227 --> 01:47.227
ground based radar and that picture

01:47.227 --> 01:49.338
gives them a real time picture of the

01:49.338 --> 01:52.650
battle space to help people make the

01:52.660 --> 01:54.560
smart decisions at all levels .

01:54.570 --> 01:56.880
Basically , it provides him situational

01:56.880 --> 01:59.200
awareness real time on what's happening

01:59.210 --> 02:01.432
in the air space . So they can make the

02:01.432 --> 02:04.000
best decisions , can respond to real

02:04.000 --> 02:06.490
world events or things like troops in

02:06.490 --> 02:09.060
contact . Our dynamic targeting

02:10.140 --> 02:12.307
anything of that nature . But the nice

02:12.307 --> 02:14.500
thing about our plane , as I mentioned

02:14.500 --> 02:17.010
being mobile is even if our radar

02:17.010 --> 02:19.177
computer system isn't working , we can

02:19.177 --> 02:21.590
still be a radio relay to pass

02:21.590 --> 02:24.470
information for folks on the ground if

02:24.470 --> 02:27.290
they're in mountainous terrain so we

02:27.290 --> 02:29.457
can still pass information even if our

02:29.457 --> 02:31.512
system is degraded . We're currently

02:31.512 --> 02:34.160
operating out of Southwest Asia and

02:34.540 --> 02:36.651
this is a unique place and that we do

02:36.651 --> 02:38.596
get to work closely with the other

02:38.596 --> 02:41.080
assets , particularly the Casey tends

02:41.090 --> 02:43.090
it's been very helpful working with

02:43.090 --> 02:45.960
them . We've kind of shared ideas and

02:45.970 --> 02:49.560
TTP tactics , techniques and procedures

02:49.940 --> 02:53.010
between us . Also having a patriot unit

02:53.010 --> 02:55.066
here . We work closely with the army

02:55.260 --> 02:57.320
and had some exchange programs with

02:57.330 --> 03:00.040
them as well . And they even flew with

03:00.040 --> 03:03.180
us staring an exercise . So exchanging

03:03.180 --> 03:04.902
ideas and working together for

03:04.902 --> 03:07.270
interoperability is really beneficial .

03:07.540 --> 03:09.651
The biggest challenges is also one of

03:09.651 --> 03:11.873
our biggest things that we bring to the

03:11.873 --> 03:14.096
fight just the teamwork that happens on

03:14.096 --> 03:16.207
the airplane . Everyone has their own

03:16.207 --> 03:18.560
job to do the flight . That puts the

03:18.560 --> 03:20.782
airplane where it needs to be as a safe

03:20.782 --> 03:23.280
and stable platform . mission . Crew

03:23.280 --> 03:25.620
commander oversees the entire mission

03:25.990 --> 03:28.212
and he works with the surveillance team

03:28.212 --> 03:30.570
that picks up and monitors the air

03:30.570 --> 03:33.310
tracks and the weapons team will talk

03:33.310 --> 03:35.366
to the fighters , pass information ,

03:36.440 --> 03:39.030
the monitors , the passive to tech

03:39.030 --> 03:42.080
system or the electronic system and the

03:42.090 --> 03:44.960
technicians . They are responsible for

03:44.960 --> 03:46.670
this aircraft mission systems

03:46.670 --> 03:48.892
themselves and they troubleshoot , make

03:48.892 --> 03:51.290
sure the systems come up and perform as

03:51.620 --> 03:53.490
they're supposed to . So it's

03:53.490 --> 03:57.060
definitely a good good . There's a lot

03:57.060 --> 03:59.440
of teamwork involved and not just with

03:59.450 --> 04:01.339
the air crew members but with our

04:01.339 --> 04:03.228
maintenance partners . They do an

04:03.228 --> 04:06.280
outstanding job . One of the challenges

04:06.280 --> 04:08.447
out here has just been the ops , tempo

04:08.447 --> 04:10.613
and the amount of flying that we do in

04:10.613 --> 04:13.150
the long duration and maintenance has

04:13.150 --> 04:15.206
done a great job of keeping the jets

04:15.206 --> 04:18.300
flying so that we can execute the every

04:18.300 --> 04:22.220
day what makes us unique . Um , it's

04:22.220 --> 04:25.950
30 ft diameter , six ft tall and uh it

04:25.950 --> 04:28.540
helps us see out greater than 250 miles

04:28.540 --> 04:30.762
from the airplane . So when you combine

04:30.762 --> 04:32.818
that with the fact that we're mobile

04:32.818 --> 04:34.818
and all weather basically , you can

04:34.818 --> 04:36.984
provide that picture anywhere that the

04:36.984 --> 04:39.700
c fact requires it . So we get some ,

04:39.710 --> 04:41.821
it's normally just knowing that we've

04:41.821 --> 04:43.970
supported that that person on the

04:43.970 --> 04:45.914
ground where there'll be troops in

04:45.914 --> 04:48.740
contact or the airplane getting the gas

04:48.740 --> 04:50.740
that I really needed . So we do get

04:50.740 --> 04:53.940
feedback from the chaos . Yeah . To

04:53.940 --> 04:55.940
kind of let us know how we're doing

04:55.940 --> 04:57.996
what we can what we did well what we

04:57.996 --> 05:00.580
can do better the preparation for being

05:00.580 --> 05:02.913
in the O . R . Starts months in advance .

05:02.913 --> 05:06.470
So our spin up process takes four plus

05:06.470 --> 05:09.250
months and we've got various exercises

05:09.250 --> 05:12.100
they work as a crew together just to

05:12.100 --> 05:15.140
build that teamwork and so that they

05:15.150 --> 05:18.060
can work well together . Each crew will

05:18.060 --> 05:20.227
certify prior to coming to the O . R .

05:20.227 --> 05:21.893
So they do a search brief and

05:21.893 --> 05:23.671
demonstrate their knowledge and

05:23.671 --> 05:25.838
understanding what our mission is once

05:25.838 --> 05:27.893
we get here and then once we're here

05:27.893 --> 05:30.650
it's really just reminding them and

05:31.040 --> 05:34.830
basically reminding them about combat

05:34.830 --> 05:36.997
focus of why we're here to support the

05:36.997 --> 05:40.930
troops on the ground and that it is

05:40.930 --> 05:43.097
an important mission that lives are at

05:43.097 --> 05:45.920
stake . I usually think of the uh wax

05:45.920 --> 05:48.087
is kind of like air traffic control of

05:48.087 --> 05:50.210
mobile air traffic control so we can

05:50.210 --> 05:52.860
take this radar in this picture and go

05:52.860 --> 05:54.990
where we're needed anywhere , whether

05:54.990 --> 05:57.046
it be Afghanistan or anywhere in the

05:57.046 --> 06:00.180
world and provide the same quality air

06:00.180 --> 06:02.069
battle management and command and

06:02.069 --> 06:04.180
control . So it's that mobility , the

06:04.180 --> 06:06.402
fact that we're all weather that we can

06:06.402 --> 06:08.700
be refueled and stay up for long

06:08.700 --> 06:11.780
durations . Yeah . That we have not

06:11.780 --> 06:13.502
only the radar picture to help

06:13.502 --> 06:15.502
ourselves but that we can pass that

06:15.502 --> 06:17.724
down to ground units and other airborne

06:17.724 --> 06:19.780
units is what we really bring to the

06:19.780 --> 06:21.724
fight and then as far as the radio

06:21.724 --> 06:24.410
relay capability as well . So

06:24.580 --> 06:27.930
essentially the radar dish will

06:28.440 --> 06:30.384
pick up the other airplanes . Then

06:30.384 --> 06:32.607
we'll process that in the computers and

06:32.607 --> 06:34.829
then based on what's on the screens are

06:34.829 --> 06:36.884
weapons controllers will talk to the

06:36.884 --> 06:39.051
other airplanes and pass information .

06:39.051 --> 06:41.218
It is extremely rewarding to know that

06:41.218 --> 06:43.440
we're contributing to the troops on the

06:43.440 --> 06:45.607
ground because we're airborne , it can

06:45.607 --> 06:47.662
move around . One of the things that

06:47.662 --> 06:49.662
we're able to do is bridge the gaps

06:49.662 --> 06:51.607
between ground based radar and our

06:51.607 --> 06:53.829
radar and that helps us helps speed the

06:53.829 --> 06:55.996
kill chain dramatically . So that when

06:55.996 --> 06:58.218
there is troops on the ground that need

06:58.218 --> 06:59.884
need help , we can relay that

06:59.884 --> 07:01.996
information . You get friendly assets

07:01.996 --> 07:05.270
on the scene much quicker than without

07:05.270 --> 07:08.040
our participation . So that's probably

07:08.040 --> 07:10.710
with a rewarding thing to see , see how

07:10.710 --> 07:13.100
much faster and the difference that we

07:13.100 --> 07:15.220
make being up there , our Canadian

07:15.220 --> 07:18.440
partners are huge contributors . We

07:18.440 --> 07:20.218
work with them , they're in our

07:20.218 --> 07:23.010
squadron back at Tinker and they deploy

07:23.010 --> 07:25.230
with us as well . And they have just

07:25.230 --> 07:28.210
been outstanding , outstanding

07:28.210 --> 07:30.432
contributions . We couldn't ask for any

07:30.432 --> 07:34.250
better . Uh coalition partners , well

07:34.250 --> 07:36.550
prepared , very professional , well

07:36.550 --> 07:38.494
trained to have a great attitude .

07:38.494 --> 07:40.661
They're happy to be out here and we're

07:40.661 --> 07:42.883
definitely happy to have him with us in

07:42.883 --> 07:44.606
the squadron maintainers do an

07:44.606 --> 07:46.828
outstanding job . They worked very hard

07:46.828 --> 07:48.994
to keep the jets turning as much as we

07:48.994 --> 07:51.272
fly day in and day out without a break .

07:51.440 --> 07:53.440
They do an outstanding job when you

07:53.440 --> 07:55.662
think about how old are airplanes are ?

07:55.662 --> 07:58.560
Late 70s , early 80s amount of hours

07:58.560 --> 08:01.000
that we put on these airplanes . It's

08:01.000 --> 08:03.330
very difficult to find parts for

08:03.330 --> 08:06.200
airplanes of this age . So to keep the

08:06.200 --> 08:08.422
jets flying , it takes a lot of work on

08:08.422 --> 08:10.478
their part , a lot of expertise . So

08:10.478 --> 08:12.478
it's a testament to them that since

08:12.478 --> 08:14.478
we've been here , we've actually ah

08:15.440 --> 08:19.120
exceeded what our previous on station

08:19.120 --> 08:21.430
rates have been despite the increase in

08:21.430 --> 08:23.790
ops tempo . So it's really a testament

08:23.790 --> 08:25.957
to their ability . Being a part of the

08:25.957 --> 08:28.012
38 , it has been outstanding already

08:28.012 --> 08:30.346
mentioned working with the other assets .

08:30.346 --> 08:32.512
This is a K C 10 , the patriot units .

08:32.512 --> 08:34.568
That's been great as well as all the

08:34.568 --> 08:36.760
other services out here . Whether

08:38.740 --> 08:42.080
base operations plus the job that

08:42.080 --> 08:44.280
services do is I've been outstanding .

08:44.280 --> 08:46.830
We don't want for anything . So we have

08:46.830 --> 08:48.830
all those needs met and we can just

08:48.830 --> 08:51.830
focus on getting the mission done . So

08:51.840 --> 08:55.210
as an example , thanksgiving radically

08:55.210 --> 08:57.830
that flu pretty much all night into the

08:57.830 --> 09:00.400
next day . Services went out of their

09:00.400 --> 09:02.660
way to make sure when they landed that

09:02.670 --> 09:04.837
they save some food for him . They had

09:04.837 --> 09:07.630
a nice thanksgiving meal and that was

09:07.640 --> 09:09.807
just going the extra mile to take care

09:09.807 --> 09:11.973
of us and that's definitely appreciate

09:11.973 --> 09:11.260
it