Helping the 86th AEG deploy African peacekeepers, eight members of Ramstein’s 1st Combat Communications team provided critical tactical communications—necessary for such short-notice missions and bare base operations. The comm team comprised a communications officer, tech controller, and data, power production, radio, satellite, and telephone technicians, had all systems running within 24 hours. “At base comm, you’d only hold one piece of a system,” said data technician SSgt. Rich Bundy, adding, “Here, you’re the one guy to hold the whole package.”
One of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones crashed shortly after takeoff April 6, and the company has paused its test flights while it investigates the incident.