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Airmen demonstrate capabilities in MARE

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. James Law
  • 455 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan --  Airmen and civilians from multiple base agencies participated in Bagram's first major accident response exercise here March 11. 

"The purpose of this exercise was to demonstrate we have the equipment, training and capability to rapidly respond to an aircraft crash, minimizing runway closures in the middle of a warzone," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Hall, 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Crash Team chief and exercise coordinator. 

The exercise began with a command post base-wide notification of an in-flight emergency for an A-10A Warthog. The emergency was all three landing gears on the aircraft were inoperable and would not lower. 

Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles expediently made their way to the Gulf Hammerhead, a large parking area at one end of the flightline, where an A-10 was parked. This was the pre-coordinated location the Warthog had simulated skid to a rest, dislodging all its munitions during the landing and trapping the pilot inside. 

Once on scene, the firefighters jumped into action positioning their vehicles and pulling out ladders, hoses and other equipment needed in the event of a real accident. They used this equipment to simulate extinguishing a fire, removing the pilot and making the area safe for the crash team to perform their mission. 

The crash team went to work attaching lifting brackets to the aircraft, dragging out ropes and positioning a 50-ton crane to raise a lifting harness out of the back of the crash team's response truck. The team used the ropes to guide the large cables on the harness as it was lowered into position to fasten to the lifting brackets. With the harness connected, the exercise was complete. 

"I was impressed," said Lt. Col. Ray Shankles, 455th EMXS commander. "It was amazing how...everybody came together not just to set this up, but to demonstrate our procedures work." 

"Maintaining and honing the skills necessary to rapidly and successfully recover crashed or damaged aircraft while minimizing additional damage is vital to our ability to restore airfield operations in minimal time while conserving valuable combat resources," said Col. Jon Sutterfield, 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander. "Exercises such as this MARE are critical to ensuring our readiness to successfully execute operations at any given moment, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

"The agencies involved have clearly proven they are capable and ready to go when they get the call." 

Colonel Sutterfield stated the MARE is the product of almost four months of intensive planning, training and cross-agency coordination. 

The A-10 MARE is the first of two exercises scheduled to occur. The second exercise will involve Bagram's other deployed fighter, the F-15E Strike Eagle.