Patrolling the Pacific

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Corey M. Pettis
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  The potent smell of jet exhaust filled the air as a line of F-15 Eagles crept to their spots after four months away from home.

The 44th Fighter squadron returned sharpening their skills in Exercises Cope Taufan, Valiant Shield, Century Aloha, Distant Frontier and Red Flag-Alaska.

“We’re constantly working toward honing our craft and making ourselves tactically better,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Jamieson, 44th FS commander. “It demonstrates we have strong ties and interoperability with our allied partners like the Malaysians, South Koreans and the Japanese.”

Over the last four months, the 44th FS participated in five different exercises. It started with Exercise Cope Taufan in Malaysia with the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Then, they packed up and moved to Hawaii for Exercise Century Aloha, where they acted as enemy forces.

Next was Exercise Valiant Shield in Guam, followed by Exercises Distant Frontier and Red Flag-Alaska.

Exercise Red Flag-Alaska was the most interesting exercise, according to Capt. Joseph Carroll, 44th FS pilot. Exercise Red Flag-Alaska is a combat operation exercise so pilots can simulate real air battles.

All in all, these exercises provide everyone involved improved readiness of combat capabilities.

“The Pacific is a huge piece of territory, so the fact we are able to move 12 to 24 aircraft throughout this region shows we can position ourselves to work with our allies or fight the threat no matter where we are,” said Jamieson.

These exercises are more than just everyday training missions.

“Each exercise gave us an opportunity to train different tactical skills as well as train with our allied partners,” Carroll said.

The strategic importance of participating in these exercises is to demonstrate to our allied partners we are there to fight and train with them, to increase our interoperability build strong partnerships, he explained.

Along with building upon the skills and relationships with allied partners, improving comradery within the units is also vital.

“My favorite part of going temporary duty is the social aspect,” said Carroll. “Just being able to connect and build the comradery with the rest of the squadron makes us better as a whole.”