The precedent for Combat Controllers was the Pathfinder teams, which originated in 1943 during World War II. These pathfinders would covertly deploy to battlefields hours before the main forces, and would relay important tactical information such as weather and intelligence on enemy forces. After the conclusion of WWII and the creation of the US Air Force, pathfinders were organized into Combat Control Teams, much like they are today.

Just like other special ops units, CCTs are trained in small unit tactics, diving, amphibious operations, demolition, and a variety of insertion methods including fast-roping, parachuting, and a variety of all-terrain vehicles. So what exactly makes combat controllers stand out from all the other branches of special operations? Unlike the others, CCTs are FAA-certified air traffic controllers, which denotes their primary mission profile: inserting into hostile environments and coordinating the air support along with the ground forces.

Combat controllers are experts at conducting communications, directing fire support, and commanding the battlefield. They are able to use stealth tactics to infiltrate enemy lines and perform vital reconnaissance on enemy positions, and then they’re capable of coordinating the assault on those positions. Air Force combat controllers are often embedded in other special operations units in order to provide assistance with their unique combat qualifications.

From the initial strategy for pathfinders during World War II, to the deployment of Air Force Combat Controllers in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and every other major conflict, these elite special operations teams have always upheld their motto “First There”. ]]> http://airforce.net/61/combat-controllers-the-air-forces-elite/feed/ 1 http://airforce.net/53/unmanned-aircraft-the-future-of-combat-today/ http://airforce.net/53/unmanned-aircraft-the-future-of-combat-today/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:43:06 +0000 ArinF http://airforce.net/?p=53 ShareThis

Since the conception of flight and throughout the history of combat, pilots have always been required to be onboard an aircraft in order to manipulate their controls. Countless numbers of pilots have put their lives on the line over the last hundred years of air combat, but what if pilots could control their aircraft from a control center on the ground, behind friendly lines? Twenty years ago, no one would ever have guessed that remote-controlled aircraft, especially aircraft that can deliver a deadly payload, would be a realistic thought. However, today they are an everyday reality and a vital asset to the arsenal of the United States Air Force.

The next generation of combat aircraft was born with the creation of the MQ-1 Predator in 1995. The Predator, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is capable of spending more than 40 hours in the air during a single sortie. It carries enough fuel to fly 400 nautical miles to its target area, spend up to 14 hours probing for targets, then make the 400 mile flight back to its home base. The MQ-1 is equipped with a laser designating target system that enables it to pinpoint targets for its AGM-114 hellfire missiles.

After the MQ-1 Predator saw combat action, its flaws and lack of certain capabilities were corrected and retrofitted into the new-and-improved MQ-9 Reaper. Although its cost is double that of the MQ-1, at around $10 million, the Reaper’s performance is considered well worth the extra cost.

The MQ-9 is equipped with a 950-horsepower engine (compared to the MQ-1’s 115-hp). This huge increase in power makes the Reaper three times faster than the Predator. Additionally, the Reaper can carry up to 3,000 pounds of ordinance or extra fuel using its detachable external fuel tanks. The UAV can be fitted with laser-guided bombs, air-to-ground missiles, and even the short-range Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

The US Air Force has begun converting a number of select squadrons to UAV operations, and has deployed MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers to both Iraq and Afghanistan. The USAF has approximately 200 Predators and 30 Reapers currently in service. ]]> http://airforce.net/53/unmanned-aircraft-the-future-of-combat-today/feed/ 0 http://airforce.net/40/us-air-force-haiti-relief/ http://airforce.net/40/us-air-force-haiti-relief/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:20:56 +0000 ArinF http://airforce.net/?p=40 ShareThis

]]> Although it is not one of the traditional roles people relate to the United States Air Force, the USAF has dedicated a vast amount of its resources and personnel to the Haiti earthquake relief. Within a single day of the tragic earthquake on 12 January 2010, Air Force personnel were on station in the shattered country, ready to provide medical, rescue, and logistical aid to the Haitian relief operation.

One of the first USAF units to arrive in Haiti was a team of Combat Controllers. These combat controllers are an elite special operations unit that is capable of deploying to battlefields, often behind enemy lines, and coordinating combat air support elements with ground forces. These servicemembers are utilizing their expert skills to coordinate the seemingly endless stream of relief shipments arriving at the Port-au-Prince Airport in Haiti.

Since the earthquake, the US Air Force has flown hundreds of sorties from the continental United States to the Haitian island, each carrying a full payload of relief supplies – food, water, and medical supplies. Support crews at both air force bases in the US and in Haiti have been working tirelessly around the clock in order to keep flights in the air – preparing the aircraft, loading their cargo, unloading the cargo, refueling and refitting the aircraft for the return flight, and repeating the process over and over.

Accompanying these relief flights are various other aiding Air Force personnel, such as construction crews able to clear out debris and begin the rebuilding process, search and rescue pilots and crews to search for and treat survivors, transportation units capable of delivering supplies anywhere on the island, surgeons and medical staff setting up aid stations, and even unmanned reconnaissance drone teams helping coordinate efforts from the air.

The United States Air Force is joining the massive coalition to support Haiti in this time of crisis. With hundreds of personnel deployed in Haiti and thouands more supporting the effort from their home bases across the states, the USAF is making a difference.]]> http://airforce.net/40/us-air-force-haiti-relief/feed/ 0 http://airforce.net/3/airforcenet/ http://airforce.net/3/airforcenet/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:44:54 +0000 admin http://devboxx1.info/3/airforcenet/ ShareThis

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