AWACs keep an eye out during Northern Edge

Published July 6, 2011
By MC2 Rufus L. Hucks
Fleet Combat Camera Group Pacific

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- To the average eye, the screen is a confusing jumble of lines, symbols and numbers. To Air Force Capt. Jon Quinlan, 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, it's a "God's eye" view of the battlefield.

Captain Quinlan, stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, is an air surveillance officer onboard an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System participating in Exercise Northern Edge 11, Alaska's largest military training exercise.

"We're the big eye in the sky providing information," said the captain. "We provide a picture for the fighter pilots and all the others that are in the network so they can go out and execute the war."

Northern Edge allows the AWACS' crew to see in real-life the importance of their mission.

"The biggest thing I've learned is how important our role is in providing the air picture and the command and control in-flow of information to everyone else," Captain Quinlan said. "As a command and control platform, that's our primary duty and I've seen how important it is while we're doing this exercise. From the fighter pilots to the tanker pilots to the guys on the ground getting our picture, it's been awesome to see that in action."

Senior Airman Christie Chatham, an air surveillance technician, has participated in a number of exercises, but says Northern Edge is different.

"This is, by far, for me, the biggest," she said. "I've never seen so many Navy personnel in one exercise. We hear about them on our network, but we never get to personally interact with them to have them explain this or verify that. It's amazing."

One of the main objectives of NE11 is to bring the different services together, so everyone can learn how to operate in a joint environment. The numerous aircraft aren't just here for show. They're an important element in pushing the participants out of their comfort zones.

"It's challenging because there's so many people here," said Airman Chatham. "This is the most robust exercise I've ever seen. There are so many aircraft in the air and this is just honing everyone's skills. But, I'm always up for a challenge."

More than 6,000 service members from all four active-duty services, as well as National Guard, Reserve and Coast Guard are participating in Northern Edge.