Around, and Over,

USAF photo by MSgt. Jeremiah Erickson the Horn

ir Forces Africa, the air com- Air Forces Africa has picked up ponent for the new US Africa Command, has begun solidi- the pace of air operations in the fying its nascent command continent’s most restive region. Aand control capabilities and boosting its “soft power” efforts, especially in By Marc V. Schanz, Senior Editor the restive and its im- mediate environs. USAF pararescuemen practice combat search and rescue from a Marine Corps CH- The Horn of Africa—Djibouti, Soma- 53 in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa. lia, , and Eritrea—is wracked by security dangers. The diverse prob- to the Darfur region. This took place From its headquarters at Ramstein lems include rampant piracy in the over the course of a few weeks, to sup- AB, , AFAFRICA has pushed Gulf of Aden and a sputtering civil ply troops assigned to a joint African to improve command and control activi- war in Somalia, which has not enjoyed Union-United Nations peacekeeping ties in Africa, the better to keep track a functioning government since 1991. mission. of threatening developments. The 617th Somalia, in particular, is a concern The US government is taking an ac- Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) for AFRICOM’s leadership. It is a tive approach to regional concerns, and at Ramstein is crucial to continuous nonfunctioning state rife with militias USAF has a hand in much of this. There air command and control capability and terrorist elements. are no permanently assigned forces on for all theater security cooperation “I don’t think that it is a secret” that the continent, or even a headquarters, exercises, engagement activities, and Somalia is “generally an ungoverned but that does not mean the crisis response operations. state,” said Maj. Tony Carr, a division isn’t active. With the AOC now at full operational chief in AFAFRICA’s operational plans Partnerships with neighboring coun- capability, it can provide a common shop. tries and the various security organiza- operating picture of all air and space Somalia is not the only concern. To tions in the region are vital to the success missions over Africa from its Ramstein the west lies southern Sudan where of AFRICOM’s mission—particularly location. AFAFRICA (also known as 17th Air in humanitarian assistance and contin- Wrapping up a $6.3 million effort Force) carried out its first major air gency operations. “It’s an area where that began in October 2008, upgrades operation in January 2009. That was we are thinking about a wide range of to the AOC went through while 17th when two C-17s transported vehicles scenarios where we might help people Air Force staff conducted opera- and special equipment from Rwanda respond,” Carr said. tions, officials said. This was done 36 AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2010 with around a third of the building that you’ve planned out might have the region is home not only to a range undergoing modification at any given to change,” he said. of peacekeeping operations but also time. The center experienced major East Africa is a focal point for US the multinational anti-piracy effort in reconfiguration, carving out classified concerns on the continent. There the waters off Somalia. work areas, installing new fiber optics, is instability in the Horn, unrest in Air Forces Africa took over airspace and upgrading the electrical capacity southern Sudan, and the presence of authority from Air Forces Central, of the facility. yet another al Qaeda franchise. and has responsibility to build a daily “We’re housed, processes are built, air tasking order for the region. This and we’re up and running 100 percent,” Al Qaeda in Somalia authority helps tremendously to le- said Maj. Gen. Ronald R. Ladnier, Daniel Benjamin, the State Depart- gitimize cooperative efforts with other commander of Air Forces Africa. ment’s coordinator for counterterror- nations in the region, Brooks said. AFAFRICA has spent a good chunk ism activities, said he is working with The work of the 617th is somewhat of time since 2008 playing catch-up “local players” along with allies to dissimilar to other AOCs, Brooks as its taskings have grown steadily. ensure governance returns to areas notes—especially on the Horn. It does Its 404th Air Expeditionary Group such as Somalia. “Obviously, the not compile a targeting list daily, like routinely flies three- to four-day airlift [Transitional Federal Government] US Central Command does, he said. missions from Ramstein, across Africa, in Somalia is not in a position yet to “What we do is a lot of airlift missions, transporting medical groups, security be a really aggressive counterterror- so we work over vast distances,” he training teams, and supplies. ism force, and so to a certain extent, said. They build engagement lists. “We Now with a full-up AOC, 17th we need to continue building up the have to take things [in the AOC] and Air Force’s engagement activities TFG’s capabilities,” he said in January. tweak them so they fit our mission and will decidedly increase, Ladnier said. Col. Todd Brooks, the division chief what we’re asked to do.” He noted that back in early 2009, of the 617th AOC’s strategy and combat Military strikes in Africa on ter- AFAFRICA routinely had six to eight plans division, said 17th Air Force’s rorist elements are rare, and AFRI- security cooperation events going on nerve center has stepped up to play a COM downplays them, but US forces, at any given time on the continent. larger role in Horn operations. This is particularly special operators, have These taskings have blossomed by 300 primarily by assisting the Combined featured in several limited strikes in percent from last fiscal year. Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, based the region. Staff and planners at 17th Air Force at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in its For example, US and Ethiopian are already assembling plans for the security partnership work. forces have sought out key al Qaeda 2011-12 fiscal years, as several offi- “We’ve been getting personnel, try- militants, who reportedly took shel- cials anticipate even more expansion. ing to put a plan together to train folks ter in Somalia. In January 2007, the “Our objective is sustained engage- and get our feet wet with operations on Pentagon confirmed an AC-130 strike ment. We don’t just want to roll into the continent,” Brooks said. When he in the southern part of the country, town. We want to engage with forces arrived at Ramstein in June 2009, the targeting al Qaeda leadership involved but continue to help develop relation- AOC had about 50 personnel. Today, in the 1998 attacks on US embassies ships,” Ladnier said. the number is around 130. in Kenya and Tanzania. The work is challenging and often As of Jan. 5, 17th Air Force assumed Last September, a senior al Qaeda complicated, working with foreign responsibility as the joint force air operative was killed in a special opera- governments, the US State Department, component commander for CJTF- tions raid in southern Somalia. Saleh and nongovernmental entities such as HOA. In this role, it helps deconflict Ali Saleh Nabhan, a Kenyan tied to the United Nations and African Union. the busy airspace around the Horn, as the bombing of the embassies in 1998 One of the sayings at the command is, “He who plans early in Africa plans often.” So quipped Col. John Yocum, chief of the regional engagement division at 17th Air Force, where the command’s security cooperation events are assembled. “We have about a six-month lead time,” he said. “With no assigned forces, we have to lever- age the Total Force to get the people we need, the subject matter experts. We have to work the same process as DOD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Bruns other [combatant commanders] to get forces,” he said. “We’ve seen entire governments come and go. ... Now, all the stuff

Ethiopian Air Force Capt. Hailu Teklu observes as TSgt. Darryl Woodruff and SrA. Jacob Dattage perform a pre- flight inspection at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2010 37 USAF photo by MSgt. ScottWagers

A C-130 lands on a dirt landing strip in Ethiopia. The aircraft and crew come and other attacks, was traveling in over again, we’ve found the Guard has from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. a car near Barawe, Somalia, when provided us a key [for] the long term.” special operations forces Frequently, events involve multiple descended on the convoy, killing him services, Guardsmen, and Reservists. since many airlift missions to locations in the assault. The military had long Last August, a team of airmen from such as Somalia and Sudan transit sought Nabhan, believing him closely Ramstein’s 37th Airlift Squadron, Ugandan bases. But the Ugandans involved in al Qaeda’s East African along with two Army Reservists, also have needs of their own, with operations. He also had links to al traveled to Entebbe, Uganda, to train seasonal major flooding and a need to Shabaab, a militant wing of Islamic members of the country’s defense get relief supplies to isolated villages Courts Union which took over most force to improve operations on their along the Nile River. of southern Somalia in 2006 and uses L-100 aircraft, a civilian version of Engagement goes the other way as terror attacks and guerilla warfare the C-130. well. In February, six Ethiopian Air against the US-backed transitional Force officers visited the 449th Air Ex- government. Getting People Savvy peditionary Group at Camp Lemonnier Al Shabaab also announced its The event paired airmen with mem- to discuss air-drop procedures for the support to al Qaeda’s Yemen branch, bers of the Ugandan military to go country’s small C-130 force. Airmen while its activities increased on the over classroom instruction and in an from the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Arabian Peninsula. Yemen lies only exercise focusing on air-dropping Squadron briefed the on 20 miles from Somalia on the Bab al goods and equipment. The cooperation air-drop tactics, collision avoidance Mandab Strait. included work on tasks such as pallet- systems, personnel air-drop proce- For its part, AFAFRICA is tak- izing cargo, weighing and inspecting dures, and other topics—in addition ing measured public steps. It pieces cargo, and preparing to air-drop sup- to showing them a C-130J. together units, including Guardsmen plies for humanitarian purposes. These experiences and activities in the and Reservists, to carry out theater The training is part of the Africa region are vital to developing a cadre activities. AFAFRICA has a “signifi- Deployment Assistance Partnership of foreign air officers in USAF, Yocum cant relationship” with the 110th Air Team (ADAPT) program, an AFRI- said, as the nature of AFRICOM’s work Operations Group of the Michigan Air COM effort funded through the State demands adaptable airmen ready for National Guard, a former A-10 unit Department’s global peace initia- a challenge. The Air Force is looking realigned to perform the air and space tive that aims to enhance projection to send captains and majors to school operations center mission, Brooks abilities of African militaries, standby to get trained up on the intricacies of noted. With experienced Guardsmen forces, and coalition partner forces international affairs, such as tactics for working in both coordinating assigned and improve interoperability. dealing with political affairs and the cul- forces and AOC duties, their alignment Culminating with a few live airdrops, tural issues inherent to working in East under the 617th AOC in April of 2009 the effort was rated a success by both Africa. “We want to get people savvy. is paying dividends. the US Embassy and the Ugandan gov- Develop languages—Arabic, Swahili, “They bring a lot of stability and ernment, and is an example of the many Portuguese, etc.,” said Yocum. Work- expertise,” Yocum said. “In Africa, benefits of such activities. “Uganda is ing with partner air services in Africa particularly, ... it’s about relationships. a regional hub for peacekeeping from is also paying dividends for US airmen, ... If I can send the same guy over and an airman’s perspective,” Yocum said, he added, noting the work that 17th Air 38 AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2010 A pararescueman assigned to Camp Lemonnier makes a training jump into the sea from the back of a CH-53 heli- copter.

Force carries out with the Kenyan Air Force in pilot currency efforts. “We were able to send in some in- structor pilots and compared programs,” he said. Yocum praised the Kenyans’ adeptness at utilizing their small force

and their experience in bush-flying in USN photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Rockwell-Pate austere areas, with light mobility and light attack capabilities which “we might be able to learn something from as we develop our own programs in those areas.” The currently stretched 17th Air Force is also getting assets faster than when it was activated in late 2008, Ladnier noted. lion in 2011. Many African nations are cal element of US partnership efforts In December 2009, a C-130J transport eager to develop their air infrastructure, with allied militaries. The mission is flew the first support mission for 17th as it is crucial to development, com- receiving increased attention from the Air Force, transporting service members merce, and connectivity. Air Force. back from Mali, where they had been The air safety program is huge Bringing foreign airpower into play is involved in training activities. in East Africa. “It’s a model to help a delicate process, said Lt. Col. Joseph The J model, assigned to the 86th develop ... infrastructure in Africa, ... Michalek, commander of the 6th SOS, Airlift Wing at Ramstein, replaced the particularly aviation capacity build- but helping allies put airpower to work wing’s older Hercules models, and their ing,” Yocum said. for their people is a key to the success. enhanced capabilities should prove One of the success stories is AF­ The results in African nations are “a useful in dealing with the distances AFRICA’s work with Rwanda, where good example of that,” Michalek said and austere conditions that are often its government was able to build up air without mentioning specific details. a factor in flying African missions. traffic control tools in order to become In Africa, airpower makes a big The 86th is the first wing outside the a regional hub for air control. Teams difference in small ways. It enables US to have assigned J-model C-130s, from 17th Air Force have visited the improvements to come in areas ranging and their range and other capabilities country and performed assessment from mobility to medical evacuation, have already been beneficial. The activities with the military and civil so that governments are better able to transport needs a minimum of three aviation officials, advising and examin- serve their populations. crew members, compared to five for ing how they can develop infrastructure “We get in there and give them the older H- and E-model Hercs. to get a regional-type capability. This ability to go out and see the people,” Critical to operations in East Africa is accomplished by improving radars, Michalek noted. are future air safety capabilities and communication tools, and networks Yocum attributes this to the number tools, 17th Air Force officials repeated with other countries, Yocum added. of airmen returning from Iraq and Af- several times. ADSS will help fund activities such ghanistan with experience performing “If you look at the air picture as consultation on airfield security and security assistance work with those over Africa, it can be scary,” Yocum improving screening procedures for countries’ respective air services. pointed out. With a huge land mass civilian air traffic. The US is currently developing a and sparse infrastructure, “you’re not 10-year assistance plan for Mali, which under anyone’s guidance,” so pilots A Delicate Process wants better aircraft, maintenance, and often use visual separation in the air Maintenance practices are also a focus logistics systems to help the country and on the ground, due to lack of radar for future improvement. “I see capable become more integrated with UN and and communications. Another critical aircraft a lot, but they have maintenance African Union efforts—not to mention concern cited by Yocum: Runways are issues,” Ladnier said. The US Air Force, becoming more open to trade. AF­ frequently not secured. he observed wryly, knows a few things AFRICA officials are hoping to generate AFAFRICA’s command and control about keeping old airplanes flying. similar efforts in East Africa. effort includes an Air Domain Safety Yocum said several allied African na- “I think there has been a realization and Security program. ADSS uses tions are participating in Air Force Spe- that ... if you have friendships and trust, airmen and working with other govern- cial Operations Command’s partnership you have friends and partners who are ment agencies and partner institutions aviation course at Hurlburt Field, Fla. willing to stand by and help you ac- to develop regional air safety and Hurlburt is also home of the service’s complish your mission,” Yocum said. security tools for African nations. Im- aviation foreign internal defense unit, This can reduce the burden on USAF provements will benefit both civil and the 6th Special Operations Squadron. as well: If host nations can move peace- military air operations, Ladnier said. The 6th SOS is performing low-profile keepers around independently, the Air The program is projected to grow missions around the world. The security Force doesn’t have to use its C-17s for from $2.6 million in 2010 to $3.1 mil- assistance work is considered a criti- that purpose. n AIR FORCE Magazine / July 2010 39