Radar technicians keep Kinpin controllers aware of friend versus foe
Balad Air Base, Iraq - Senior Airmen Jason Gleason and Charles Storr, both radar technicians, bench check a UPX-27 Interrogator, a key component of the Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) system, which challenges and identifies aircraft. Both Airmen are assigned to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron (EACS). Airman Gleason is deployed from the 728th Air Control Squadron (ACS) at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Airman Storr is a volunteer augmentee from the 603rd ACS, Aviano Air Base, Italy. Also known as Kingpin, the self-sustaining 727th EACS is comprised of nealry 200 Airmen from 27 different Air Force specialties. Kingpin is responsible for maintaining positive control over aircraft operating in Iraq's 277,000 miles of airspace. (U.S. Air Force photo/Major Damien Pickart)