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380AEW Article

AWACS maintainers keep Sentry flying

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Amanda Savannah
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Aircraft from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing fly missions in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility every day.

Airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron are responsible for ensuring these aircraft are safe and able to accomplish these missions.

One of the wing's air frames is the E-3 Sentry, an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, which provides an airborne command and control capability.

The aircraft and their maintainers are deployed here from the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. Master Sgt. Troy Henderson, 380th EAMXS Sentry section chief, said the section works hard every day to keep the more than 30-year-old E-3s mission-capable.

"We're filling probably half of (the missions) we do at home, with about one-fifth of the number of aircraft," said Henderson, a Wenatchee, Wash., native. "It's real important when a plane lands we get on it right away and get the plane generated back up to where it can take off."

The section includes about 10 aircraft maintenance specialties, including crew chiefs, aerial repair crew chiefs, hydraulics, communication and navigation, electronic warfare and more, Henderson said.

Senior Airman Chandler Donaldson is a 380th EAMXS Sentry aerial repair crew chief. In addition to launching, recovering and inspecting the E-3, Donaldson is responsible for changing out large parts of the aircraft including the landing gear, nose gear, fin folds, rudders and more.

"This aircraft is really old; it breaks a lot," said Donaldson, a Colorado Springs, Colo., native. "This plane wouldn't be able to make it if we couldn't get some of these (AR) fixes done in a timely manner and with the quality that we get them done in."

Donaldson said he enjoys working on any of the fixes the aircraft requires and keeping it flying.

"There have been jobs I've been put on with other guys who have been in the shop for 13 years and have never seen that job before," he said. "It's kind of nice to get out there and look at (a new issue) with the experience we have in the shop and try and figure it out and get it done right, effectively and on time."

Staff Sgt. Andrew Steeves is a 380th EAMXS Sentry cyber transport systems maintainer. Though his Air Force Specialty Code's duty is usually to maintain a base network on the ground, this responsibility is on board the E-3 when assigned to the 552nd ACW.

"I set up and maintain video and data networks and other associated network infrastructures," said Steeves, a Bangor, Maine, native.

"Our job is to maintain a 1960s IBM 4Pi CC-2 computer mainframe that integrates all the other subsystems including radar, communications and electronic warfare," Steeves said. "Once it's all integrated, it interfaces with our Boeing Digital Display Control system in order to display the information it just processed to the end users. These end users are able to monitor and track the location of surrounding aircraft and some facilities using the information the radar system detected."

Steeves said he is enjoying working with the different Sentry maintainers while deployed here.

"Back home I work in a back shop on the computer systems," he said. "I work with electronic warfare there and that's it. Here I'm working with several of the other specialties. It's great."

Senior Airman Mitchell Chappelle is a 380th EAMXS Sentry radar maintainer.

"I work on the surveillance radar in the aircraft," said Chappelle, a State College, Penn., native. "I change out the parts and maintain radar frequencies.

"This equipment is so aircraft specific, there's nothing else like it," he said. "Even with the age of the technology, we still have the best in the world."

Henderson said his team has done really well in maintaining the E-3s.

"The last couple of months have been hard," he said. "But everybody has gotten out and we've gelled good as a team. Everybody gets out and helps out when it's needed."

Lt. Col. Constantine Tsoukatos, 380th EAMXS commander, agrees.

"I'm extremely proud of the dedicated E-3 maintenance professionals who work so diligently maintaining their aircraft in this demanding environment," he said.