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Remote ground radar keeps personnel, maintainers safe

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Matkin
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Danger is ever present in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, but in Southwest Asia, U.S. and Coalition forces can rest easier knowing a squadron here is working around the clock to provide a complete snapshot of the battle space.
Members of the 71st Expeditionary Air Control Squadron are keeping this and other locations around the AOR safe from hostile aircraft.

This capability is managed and maintained by more than 100 personnel from the 71 EACS deployed here. The BattleSpace Command and Control Center system allows its users to pull real-time data from Coalition members' sensor systems around the AOR giving this team a view of the entire region.

"It gives us eyes and ears across Southwest Asia, bringing data links from other sources and the control of unsafe airspace remotely from a distant location; this is new ground and has never been done before," said Chief Master Sgt. Teddy Ostrowski, 71 EACS maintenance supervisor, who is deployed from the 128th Air Control Squadron at Volk Field, Wis.

This data link allows the 71 EACS time to react to the threats and provide vital information that recognizes hostile aircraft. It also gives us time to react, said Lt. Col. Darren Ewing, 71 EACS commander, deployed here from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

"The 71 EACS handles basic air battle management in a very busy airspace," Colonel Ewing said.

"Our equipment allows us to correlate mini-data sensors and radios and has linking capabilities; it can manage a vastly larger air space," the Phoenix, Ariz., native said. "This allows us to operate here in a safe environment, reducing the need for a forward control and reporting center footprint in our area of responsibility."

In addition, the center also allows cross-platform, cross-service and cross-Coalition enhancement for a battle space picture that we have not had in the past, the colonel said.

This enhanced battle space picture is a result of the BC3's better integrated sensors that can handle more radar and radio sources than previous systems. The interface and ability to display and use the data off those systems allows the 71 EACS operators to handle more information, as well as increase the ability to pass along that information, said Chief Ostrowski who hails from Tomah, Wis.

The BC3 is a commercial off-the-shelf product and is produced by more than one company so, if it breaks, another piece can be bought quickly, said Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Pradarelli, 71 EACS ground radar systems technician noncommissioned officer-in-charge and a Guardsman deployed from the 128 ACS. "Due to this ease of maintenance, we can continually maintain a 100-percent battle space picture of the AOR," the Greenfield, Wis., native said.

Running the BC3 system, which keeps U.S. and Coalition members safe, is a primary responsibility for the members of the 71 EACS as they work day and night to keep service members throughout the region safe from hostile aircraft.