Combat Communications officer advise and assists Iraqis in restoring air traffic communications

Published April 17, 2010
By Captain Byron Coward
AFCENT Public Affairs

BAGHDAD,Iraq -- The task, of assisting the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority in rebuilding the airspace infrastructure, was assigned to the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Air Force. The DoS would be responsible for fostering the relationships needed to rebuild the infrastructure while the USAF would provide the technical expertise.

The Airspace Planning office of the Air Component Coordination Element-Iraq was given the responsibility of representing the USAF in the endeavor. Since 2003, ACCE airspace planners have been working with Iraqi air traffic and communication technicians to rebuild the country's airspace infrastructure.

Capt. Kurando Mensen, a combat communications officer, deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., has been the ACCE's communications planner. During Capt. Mensen's deployment, he has traveled to as many as nine forward operating bases in Iraq and Kuwait to access, supervise and sometimes repair the air traffic communications systems; particularly the Very Small Aperture Terminal System.

"I've been to some of these places more than once," said Captain Mensen. "The VSAT system is the current backbone of Iraq's civil aviation's, air traffic control communications infrastructure."

The VSAT system supports a radio communication instrument that allows remote communication and navigation stations, across Iraq, to exchange and share information. This allows Iraqi Air Traffic controllers at the Baghdad Area Control Center to monitor and communicate with aircraft flying in the northern and southern Iraq.

Currently, the VSAT's capability allows the BACC to communicate with commercial air traffic flying above 24,000 feet. Captain Mensen's work has involved not only maintaining this capability, but also working to enhance the VSAT's capability to cover airspace from 24,000 ft. down to 15,000 ft. As U.S. forces withdraw from Iraq, the plan is to further enhance the VSAT's capability to operate at 15,000 ft. to the surface.

"Because of Iraq's location, in the middle east, commercial air carriers would save time and slash fuel costs once they are able to use the Iraq airspace on a frequent basis," said Captain Mensen. "But this depends on the safety and reliability of their air traffic communications system."

The VSAT capability was 50 percent operational before Captain Mensen arrived. In his six months of work, Captain Mensen established or repaired VSAT systems in Kuwait, Ar Rutbah, Kirkuk, Mosul, Talil and Balad. For the first time, in two years, the VSAT system in Iraq was 100 percent capable.

A huge part of the Makakilo, Hawaii native's job is to develop relationships with the Iraqi citizens who are employed by the ICAA.

"It is this critical part of the job where Captain Mensen truly shines," said Colonel Russ Quinn, ACCE Senior Airspace Planner. "Captain Mensen's professionalism and easy going style have been critical in solidifying our relationship with everyone in the ICAA."

The ICAA technicians see Capt. Mensen as not only a communications planner, but also a valuable VSAT trainer. On many occasions, he was able to travel, with the ICAA technicians, to forward locations to repair or rebuild VSAT terminals.

"The ICAA technicians are always willing and ready to travel to the various locations as this presents a different challenge than the daily routine in Baghdad," said Captain Mensen.

When Captain Mensen is not traveling across Iraq to inspect VSAT locations, his time is spent advising and assisting the ICAA technicians in designing and maintaining the VSAT infrastructure.

Once that's completed, Captain Mensen's evenings are spent making contacts at numerous air bases and devising solutions for current and future VSAT problems. It is common for him to work more than 15 hours a day. On a few occasions, the ACCE leadership had to order him to leave the office.

"Whenever I introduce Captain Mensen, to newly arrived Airmen, I introduce him as the hardest working Captain in the ACCE," said Colonel Quinn. "Watching him, and the great men and women here in Iraq, is truly inspiring. This is an amazing team and I am very proud of each one of them."

According to Captain Mensen, there's still a lot of work to be done but he is confident that the ICAA technicians are ready for the challenge. He also comments that with a solid infrastructure in place, the country will benefit from a safer and more rewarding airspace.