EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Bombs got built, crew chiefs evaluated and weapons were locked and loaded at Team Eglin’s first-ever battle of air power generators.
Maintenance units from the 96th Test Wing and the 33rd Fighter Wing vied for base best status May 21 at the inaugural Sortie Generation Competition. It was also an opportunity to showcase maintenance Airmen in action and celebrate their abilities that often go unnoticed.
“This was a demonstration of the aptitude, teamwork, and professionalism our maintainers bring to the flightline every single day,” said Master Sgt. Channon Green, 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and one of the event coordinators. “It was a test of speed, safety, and absolute perfection to see who earned the ultimate bragging rights.”
These types of events put the two wing’s operational readiness and lethal ability on display and ensure the Airmen keep their edges sharp against similar competitors.
The competition broke down into three sections: dedicated crew chief competition, bomb build, and weapons loading.
The crew chief competition began the event. The DCC competition is like a car show, but for Air Force aircraft. Evaluators inspect the entire aircraft, two F-35 Lightning IIs, an F-15 Eagle, and an F-16 Fighting Falcon, for cleanliness, condition and perfection. The judges grade the Airman’s personal pride, ownership, attention to detail and level of professionalism for the aircraft that bears their name.
The DCC winners were the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit’s:
Staff Sgt. Jacob Garrett
Senior Airman Tyler Potts
Airman 1st Class Alexander Edmonds
The bomb build competition was next. A set of four-person teams battled each other to build a GBU-12 and a GBU-31 the fastest and with the fewest mistakes.
“This event tested deep technical expertise, teamwork and the ability to follow complex instructions perfectly under pressure,” said Green. “One mistake, one dropped pin and the team could be disqualified.”
The bomb build shows off the largely unseen, critical work required before a weapon gets near an aircraft.
The bomb build winners were 96th Maintenance Squadron’s:
Staff Sgt. Hernandez
Airman 1st Class Andrew Welo
Airman Aiden Wick
Airman Jacob Nasworthy
Finally, it was time to load those weapons on the aircraft. The task for two F-35 weapons load crews from the 58th and 60th Aircraft Maintenance Units and F-15 and F-16 teams from the 96th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The four three-person teams loaded an AIM-9, an AIM-120, a GBU-12 and a GBU-31 the fastest and with the fewest errors.
“This was a choreographed dance of muscle, machinery and communication,” added Green. “It’s physically demanding, mentally taxing, and incredibly dangerous if not done correctly. Teams were judged on speed, but also on following their checklists to the letter.”
Each team took different approaches to the weapons load order in hopes of gaining a time advantage. The biggest difference between the next-gen and legacy load crews was specific weapon types were loaded into the belly of the F-35, compared to on the wings of a F-15 or F-16.
The Load Crew winners were the 60th Aircraft Maintenance Unit’s:
Staff Sgt. Dominic Briggs
Senior Airman Matthew Garcia
Senior Airman Armando Jimenez
Although the atmosphere was lively with rock music playing, displays and food trucks, Green pointed out the event wasn’t just a game, but something much larger.
“This competition directly hones the skills needed to generate combat airpower at a moment's notice. It builds morale, fosters innovation, and ensures our warfighters are the best in the world,” he said.