JFIIT helps Army, AF train with Italian Air Force

  • Published
  • By Casey Bain
  • USJFCOM Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team
FT. IRWIN, Calif. --  Joint fires experts from U.S. Joint Forces Command assisted Italian Air Force personnel in integrating operations with U.S. Army and Air Force assets during a recent two-week exercise at the National Training Center here.

The exercise marked the first time that Italian warfighters have participated in maneuvers at the combat training center. The country provided 10 AMX/A-1 close air support aircraft, 34 pilots, six joint terminal attack controllers, and a variety of support personnel.

Members of USJFCOM's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team  helped integrate a variety of joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets between the Army's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and aerial assets from both nations.

"NTC and the Air Force's Green Flag West are great examples of how we can link traditional service-level exercises into one well-synchronized joint training event that benefits all participants and services," said Army Maj. Richard Meredith, JFIIT lead at NTC.

The exercise included MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial systems.

"We've expanded Green Flag to include both the MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers, which are, depending on who you ask, the most important ISR platforms for conducting full spectrum operations in a counterinsurgency environment," said Army Brig. Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams, commanding general, NTC and Ft. Irwin. "So when you ask how important is it to integrate joint assets here? It's not a level of importance - it's essential."

"Our mission is to help integrate ISR assets with an Army BCT so that the unit can learn how to leverage the capabilities of these assets that they otherwise won't see until they arrive in country," added Meredith. "This exercise teaches our forces how to work together to defeat an irregular threat."

Italian Air Force Col. AArnn Pil. Giorgio Foltran, commander of the Italian detachment at GFW, explained the importance of his country's participation.

"This exercise has been a great opportunity for our aircrews to discuss different tactics and techniques with American pilots," said Foltran. "We're learning lots of lessons to take with us when we return home including how to provide CAS for a U.S. Army brigade during convoy escort missions, in an urban environment, and while using UAS."

"We want a realistic assessment of our pilots, JTACs, and our entire team," said Italian Air Force Lt. Col. Andrea Amadori, 132nd AMX squadron commander. "The feedback that we're receiving from this exercise has been outstanding. It demonstrates the strength of our military partnership and the importance of training together to learn from each other."

According to NTC leadership, experts from organizations like JFIIT and others enhance the integration of joint assets and provide vital resources to help educate units on how to use the available capabilities of the entire joint and coalition team.

"The single most important capability that we have to train the joint force is our people," said Abrams. "It's the observer controllers, opposing forces, contractors, cultural role players, and all our joint partners. It's the people aspect that makes the difference and sets us apart from everybody else in the world."

Abrams said NTC's primary focus and mission is to provide realistic training reflective of the operational climates to which units are preparing to deploy.

"Our charter now, since late 2003, is to create an operational environment that reflects what's going on in theater - as a rehearsal exercise - a mission rehearsal exercise for units going to combat," he said. "This is the place where we can train our brigades how to use air assets and train our tactical air controllers on how to fight in a full up, competitive, realistic environment with a BCT to leverage their air breathing and non-air breathing capabilities."

NTC and GFW provide services with a realistic and rigorous training venue, preparing them to fight as a joint and coalition team.

"It's not about us - it's about creating one seamless team," said Air Force Lt. Col. John Walker, commander, GFW and the 549th Combat Training Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. "Where we really earn our money is integrating our close air support capabilities with the Army and a BCT. There's learning on both sides, but it pays big dividends to our forces once they are deployed."