WEBVTT 00:00.150 --> 00:03.110 - Yeah, so interoperability is one of the main things 00:03.110 --> 00:04.900 that we're looking for in Checkered Flag. 00:04.900 --> 00:08.120 So it's an opportunity to bring together 00:08.120 --> 00:10.980 our fourth gen fighters, like F-15's and F-16's, 00:10.980 --> 00:13.350 and our newer fifth generation fighters, 00:13.350 --> 00:15.110 like your F-22's and F-35's. 00:15.110 --> 00:18.180 And bring them together to train to increase their readiness 00:18.180 --> 00:20.820 and the interoperability of the Joint Force. 00:20.820 --> 00:21.653 Yeah, you bet, 00:21.653 --> 00:24.380 Tyndall is an ideal location for Checkered Flag. 00:24.380 --> 00:26.670 Primarily because of the Gulf Coast ranges 00:26.670 --> 00:29.080 that we have right off our shores here. 00:29.080 --> 00:30.380 It's one of the best, 00:30.380 --> 00:33.160 if not the best air-to-air training airspace 00:33.160 --> 00:34.570 in all of the country. 00:34.570 --> 00:35.940 We can fly supersonic, 00:35.940 --> 00:37.780 we can take off, turn out over the water 00:37.780 --> 00:39.760 without overflying populated areas, 00:39.760 --> 00:41.530 or flying in FAA airspace. 00:41.530 --> 00:42.490 And that's really important, 00:42.490 --> 00:44.030 especially when we're conducting 00:44.030 --> 00:46.070 these large force employment exercises, 00:46.070 --> 00:49.210 and conducting live-fire missile tests. 00:49.210 --> 00:50.070 Yeah, you bet. 00:50.070 --> 00:52.890 There were about 80 aircraft 00:52.890 --> 00:55.230 from 15 different squadrons that participated. 00:55.230 --> 00:56.750 We had about 56 aircraft 00:56.750 --> 00:58.750 that came here on the ramp at Tyndall 00:58.750 --> 01:00.480 and over a thousand people 01:00.480 --> 01:03.050 that came here to Tyndall temporarily 01:03.050 --> 01:05.072 to support the operations. 01:05.072 --> 01:09.000 So it's a much larger scale than these units can train to. 01:09.000 --> 01:11.550 Everyday in the air force we're always training. 01:11.550 --> 01:13.010 But normally at the unit level, 01:13.010 --> 01:15.700 the training programs are kind of one-v-one, 01:15.700 --> 01:17.740 and then they have a building block 01:17.740 --> 01:19.350 to two-versus-two aircraft. 01:19.350 --> 01:22.510 But the most aircraft at a unit can get 01:22.510 --> 01:25.310 to simulate this type of air combat locally 01:25.310 --> 01:27.560 is maybe eight to ten aircraft. 01:27.560 --> 01:29.800 By bringing all the aircraft here at the same time, 01:29.800 --> 01:31.383 we can train on a scale 01:31.383 --> 01:33.820 that these units just can not do it home station. 01:33.820 --> 01:36.003 So that's one of the values of Checkered Flag. 01:37.090 --> 01:40.650 So one of the key things about Checkered Flag 01:40.650 --> 01:42.030 that makes it so important , 01:42.030 --> 01:44.270 is we like to train like we fight. 01:44.270 --> 01:46.600 So we have what's called the Immediate Response Force, 01:46.600 --> 01:48.250 and that's DOD wide. 01:48.250 --> 01:50.440 So units throughout the Joint Force 01:50.440 --> 01:52.520 are placed on this immediate response force. 01:52.520 --> 01:54.820 It's like being on-call for a certain period of months 01:54.820 --> 01:56.530 in case something bad happens. 01:56.530 --> 02:00.000 So the training schedules culminate in this, 02:00.000 --> 02:02.900 and it's essentially the capstone exercise. 02:02.900 --> 02:04.800 So all the units that are here at Checkered Flag 02:04.800 --> 02:07.010 are about to go onto the Immediate Response Force. 02:07.010 --> 02:10.100 And it's important that they come here and train together 02:10.100 --> 02:12.310 so that they have their highest level of readiness 02:12.310 --> 02:15.003 before they become America's on-call force. 02:15.859 --> 02:18.300 And it's important that they come here and train together, 02:18.300 --> 02:19.530 not just for readiness, 02:19.530 --> 02:23.600 but also the trust that they build as a team. 02:23.600 --> 02:24.910 Because we want to train like we fight, 02:24.910 --> 02:26.320 and these are the units that could potentially 02:26.320 --> 02:28.090 be going downrange to fight together. 02:28.090 --> 02:30.210 And they don't want to be just getting to know each other 02:30.210 --> 02:31.880 on day one of combat operations. 02:31.880 --> 02:35.100 So it's really good to get here, to train together, 02:35.100 --> 02:37.700 to brief, to debrief, to pass lessons learned, 02:37.700 --> 02:38.900 and to know each other. 02:38.900 --> 02:41.620 And that way they're already starting to gel as a team. 02:41.620 --> 02:44.780 Would that be the maintainers, the operators, 02:44.780 --> 02:47.510 before they go downrange and potentially fight together. 02:47.510 --> 02:50.550 When I commanded the 94th Fighter Squadron, 02:50.550 --> 02:52.420 we went to a Checkered Flag event 02:52.420 --> 02:54.950 before we deployed for Inherent Resolve. 02:54.950 --> 02:57.450 And we were training with a lot of the units 02:57.450 --> 02:58.550 that we would deploy with. 02:58.550 --> 03:00.950 One of those, a Navy F-18 unit. 03:00.950 --> 03:03.300 And we hung out with those folks. 03:03.300 --> 03:05.150 In addition to training, did some social activities, 03:05.150 --> 03:08.460 to get to know each other, building those bonds of trust. 03:08.460 --> 03:09.770 And I remember checking in 03:09.770 --> 03:12.550 on one of my first combat flights in Syria, 03:12.550 --> 03:15.610 and I recognize the person's radio voice on the radio, 03:15.610 --> 03:17.340 and we had trained together here at Checkered Flag, 03:17.340 --> 03:19.970 and now we were flying combat operations over Iraq, 03:19.970 --> 03:22.280 and we were escorting their formation of F-18's. 03:22.280 --> 03:24.860 So you can kind of see how the Checkered Flag a model 03:24.860 --> 03:29.030 really works to build that readiness, and build that trust 03:29.030 --> 03:31.510 that's required to be an effective team in combat. 03:31.510 --> 03:33.440 So from an installation perspective, 03:33.440 --> 03:34.940 having that many aircraft, 03:34.940 --> 03:37.060 and that many people come to Tyndall was a big lift. 03:37.060 --> 03:39.360 Especially when we're busy 03:39.360 --> 03:41.200 rebuilding the base of the future, right. 03:41.200 --> 03:42.550 But I think it's important that everyone knows 03:42.550 --> 03:44.660 that we can walk and chew gum at the same time. 03:44.660 --> 03:46.130 We can rebuild the base, 03:46.130 --> 03:48.140 but we can still conduct operations. 03:48.140 --> 03:50.460 And it takes a lot of coordination support 03:50.460 --> 03:52.520 from our folks throughout the base. 03:52.520 --> 03:55.020 Our mission support group to bring in the people, 03:55.020 --> 03:57.740 all the thousand-plus people that come in to support. 03:57.740 --> 03:58.950 The logisticians, 03:58.950 --> 04:01.100 the folks that put fuel on the airplane, 04:01.100 --> 04:02.360 the maintainers. 04:02.360 --> 04:03.400 There's a lot of coordination 04:03.400 --> 04:04.640 that goes on behind the scenes. 04:04.640 --> 04:07.210 And then we have a professional staff of aviators 04:07.210 --> 04:08.280 that run the exercise 04:08.280 --> 04:09.490 to make sure that we're training, 04:09.490 --> 04:10.800 we're getting safe training, 04:10.800 --> 04:12.680 but we're doing high-end training. 04:12.680 --> 04:14.620 And from the operator perspective, 04:14.620 --> 04:17.200 the folks that are coming in to train, 04:17.200 --> 04:19.310 it's like I said before, it's the culmination, 04:19.310 --> 04:22.350 or the capstone of their training cycle. 04:22.350 --> 04:25.140 So they've started with building-block approach training, 04:25.140 --> 04:26.750 and now they get to come to Checkered Flag, 04:26.750 --> 04:28.320 and they get to use all those skill-sets 04:28.320 --> 04:30.410 that they've been training for, for months, 04:30.410 --> 04:33.290 and train in a large force employment exercise 04:33.290 --> 04:35.820 with as many as 70 other aircraft 04:35.820 --> 04:38.730 on a scale that you just can't get anywhere else. 04:38.730 --> 04:41.250 Like I said before, typically at a normal unit 04:41.250 --> 04:42.910 you get eight to ten aircraft 04:42.910 --> 04:46.240 is the maximum amount of aircraft you're training to. 04:46.240 --> 04:50.400 Here, we had as many as 76 aircraft participating 04:50.400 --> 04:53.890 in one 90 minute training session 04:53.890 --> 04:58.200 like I said, we had 54 to 56 aircraft on the ramp, 04:58.200 --> 05:01.320 but there are also aircraft flying in from other locations. 05:01.320 --> 05:03.650 So we have an AWACS, an E-3, 05:03.650 --> 05:06.380 that flies in from Oklahoma for each bowl. 05:06.380 --> 05:10.640 We have tankers, KC-46's, KC-135's, KC-10's 05:10.640 --> 05:12.350 participated in this Checkered Flag. 05:12.350 --> 05:13.470 And then we have fighter units 05:13.470 --> 05:15.530 from throughout the Southeast that are close enough 05:15.530 --> 05:17.740 that they can fly into the ranges and train with us 05:17.740 --> 05:19.430 but don't necessarily need to fly here. 05:19.430 --> 05:21.540 So the Florida Guard from Jacksonville 05:21.540 --> 05:23.370 flew F-15's into the exercise, 05:23.370 --> 05:25.780 and they trained from home station. 05:25.780 --> 05:28.810 But we have kind of classified Zoom, if you will, 05:28.810 --> 05:30.960 to where we can talk about the plan, 05:30.960 --> 05:33.430 we can all watch the fight airborne. 05:33.430 --> 05:34.920 And then afterwards we can debrief. 05:34.920 --> 05:35.970 And that's really where the most 05:35.970 --> 05:38.320 of the learning occurs is in the debrief. 05:38.320 --> 05:40.470 It's really important that we come together, 05:40.470 --> 05:41.940 identify what happened, 05:41.940 --> 05:44.280 what went right and what went wrong, 05:44.280 --> 05:46.320 and mistakes are made all the time. 05:46.320 --> 05:49.100 Aerial combat is very complicated, it's complex, 05:49.100 --> 05:51.040 but those mistakes that we make here, 05:51.040 --> 05:53.420 and we share the fix and the lessons learned 05:53.420 --> 05:54.670 benefit the entire force. 05:54.670 --> 05:56.640 So hopefully we're making some of those mistakes here 05:56.640 --> 05:57.900 and not making those mistakes 05:57.900 --> 05:59.870 if and when we go to combat and fight together. 05:59.870 --> 06:00.833 So once again, 06:02.080 --> 06:03.690 it's an opportunity to hone our skills, 06:03.690 --> 06:05.662 and increase our readiness, 06:05.662 --> 06:06.960 so that when these forces go downrange 06:06.960 --> 06:10.060 they're providing the best air dominance that they can 06:10.060 --> 06:11.610 for our Joint Force Commanders. 06:12.460 --> 06:15.160 I will say there were hundreds of sorties a day. 06:15.160 --> 06:17.930 And we do Checkered Flag here in conjunction 06:17.930 --> 06:20.450 with the Combat Archer, 06:20.450 --> 06:23.080 which is an exercise run by our sister unit here, 06:23.080 --> 06:24.770 the Weapons Evaluation Group. 06:24.770 --> 06:26.690 And that's where units come from all over the world, 06:26.690 --> 06:29.350 not just Air Force, but throughout the Joint Force, 06:29.350 --> 06:31.170 come in and they trained air-to-ground 06:31.170 --> 06:35.940 and primarily air-to-air live fire testing. 06:35.940 --> 06:40.940 So that evaluates the unit's ability to deploy and employ. 06:42.010 --> 06:44.700 So fighting is not just about the employment. 06:44.700 --> 06:46.350 It's about employing and getting to the fight. 06:46.350 --> 06:49.400 So we bring the units in, and now the logisticians, 06:49.400 --> 06:51.380 and the maintainers, and the weapons loaders, 06:51.380 --> 06:54.350 they all practice doing what they would do in combat. 06:54.350 --> 06:56.760 And it ends with the operators going out there 06:56.760 --> 06:58.360 and shooting live missiles 06:58.360 --> 07:01.120 at unmanned drones over those Gulf ranges. 07:01.120 --> 07:02.700 And they'll do that half of the day. 07:02.700 --> 07:04.150 And then the second half of the day, 07:04.150 --> 07:07.040 they'll fly in our Checkered Flag exercise, 07:07.040 --> 07:08.940 and they'll get that high-end training. 07:08.940 --> 07:10.680 So when you put those two together 07:10.680 --> 07:14.270 it really is a very effective and efficient way 07:14.270 --> 07:17.380 to conduct high-end quality air-to-air training. 07:17.380 --> 07:19.440 I just want to say that thanks to the people 07:19.440 --> 07:21.120 of Panama City and Bay County. 07:21.120 --> 07:23.880 I think they understand that when they hear jet noise 07:23.880 --> 07:25.850 and really increased jet noise 07:25.850 --> 07:27.550 for something like Checkered Flag, 07:27.550 --> 07:30.390 we don't go fly sorties just to go fly sorties. 07:30.390 --> 07:32.163 It has a purpose and a meaning. 07:33.315 --> 07:34.920 And I think what we're trying to demonstrate 07:34.920 --> 07:39.600 with this exercise is that is very important training, 07:39.600 --> 07:41.740 and it's the last step that many of our combat forces 07:41.740 --> 07:44.070 will get before they deploy overseas 07:44.070 --> 07:46.160 and are potentially fighting in combat. 07:46.160 --> 07:48.230 So when you hear that jet noise, 07:48.230 --> 07:50.200 what it means is we are training hard, 07:50.200 --> 07:51.300 we're training safe, 07:51.300 --> 07:53.330 and we're training to really high standards. 07:53.330 --> 07:54.960 And that increases our readiness 07:54.960 --> 07:56.780 to the highest level that we can get to. 07:56.780 --> 07:58.910 And what that means is when our forces get over, 07:58.910 --> 08:02.080 if they get over to a deployed theater, 08:02.080 --> 08:04.550 they will be ready, and they're going to operate 08:04.550 --> 08:06.500 at the best ability that they can, 08:06.500 --> 08:10.380 which ultimately increases our national security. 08:10.380 --> 08:13.130 So when those residents here in Bay County hear jet noise, 08:13.130 --> 08:15.640 that has a direct correlation to increase national security 08:15.640 --> 08:16.900 for the United States of America. 08:16.900 --> 08:18.030 And that's really what it's all about. 08:18.030 --> 08:20.210 And those folks here in Panama City and Bay County, 08:20.210 --> 08:22.460 they get that, and that's why they're so supportive. 08:22.460 --> 08:24.420 So we really look forward to continuing 08:24.420 --> 08:25.910 this partnership with the folks 08:25.910 --> 08:28.340 in Panama city and Bay County for years to come. 08:28.340 --> 08:31.210 So Checkered Flag is one of the largest, 08:31.210 --> 08:34.102 if not the largest, air-to-air training exercise 08:34.102 --> 08:36.447 in the Air Force and really all of the DOD. 08:36.447 --> 08:37.280 And what we do is 08:37.280 --> 08:40.090 we bring in units from all around the country. 08:40.090 --> 08:42.080 And they come in and they do air-to-air training 08:42.080 --> 08:44.490 that really focuses on inter-operability 08:44.490 --> 08:45.920 between our fourth gen fighters 08:45.920 --> 08:47.940 such as our F-15's and our F-16's, 08:47.940 --> 08:50.360 and our fifth gen, newer fifth gen fighters, 08:50.360 --> 08:52.410 like the F-22's and F-35's. 08:52.410 --> 08:53.930 And bringing those forces together 08:53.930 --> 08:57.140 to train the way we'll fight is really important. 08:57.140 --> 08:59.750 And that's what we focus on here in Checkered Flag. 08:59.750 --> 09:02.470 The reason that Tyndall is the ideal location 09:02.470 --> 09:05.680 for this is primarily because of the ranges that we have. 09:05.680 --> 09:09.090 And Tyndall is ideally suited in those air-to-air ranges, 09:09.090 --> 09:11.400 because we can take off from here and fly out over the water 09:11.400 --> 09:15.370 and not have to overfly populated areas or in FAA airspace. 09:15.370 --> 09:17.940 And now we have one of the largest range complexes 09:17.940 --> 09:19.500 in the United States where we can conduct 09:19.500 --> 09:22.330 these air-to-air large force employment exercises. 09:22.330 --> 09:25.100 We can fly supersonic, we can use countermeasures. 09:25.100 --> 09:27.230 And then during Combat Archer, 09:27.230 --> 09:32.230 our air crew can go fire live weapons at unmanned drones. 09:32.340 --> 09:35.080 And you just can't do that in any airspace. 09:35.080 --> 09:37.350 That's why it's so unique to this part of the country. 09:37.350 --> 09:41.423 And it's a real gem here in the panhandle of Florida.