Members of the 505th Operations Squadron from Nellis AFB, Nev., helped prepare the Marine Corps’ Regimental Combat Team-8 for deployment to Afghanistan during Exercise Spartan Resolve at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The squadron’s joint integration team supplied a Theater Battle Management Core System to introduce marines to the systems and protocol for requesting Air Force airborne intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance assets and monitoring real-time execution of ground support. They also trained the marines on the tactics, techniques, and procedures for employing remotely piloted aircraft like the MQ-1Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. “Our goal is to ensure the regimental staff understands the capabilities and limitations of assets like the Predator and Reaper that will be at their disposal while they’re in Afghanistan,” said Lisa Jalbert, an RPA specialist with the JIT. (Camp LeJeune report by Casey E. Bain)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told lawmakers Apr. 30 that the service’s biggest airlifter, the C-5 Galaxy, has a 37 percent mission capable rate—one of several challenges facing the mobility fleet.