Air Force continues Y2K operational assessments

Released: 6 Aug 1999

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- The Air Force is continuing its major operational assessments to ensure it can fly, fight and win in 2000 at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., and Eglin AFB, Fla., Aug. 9-12.

Air Combat Command, the main provider of combat air forces to theater commanders, is conducting a three-phase Y2K operational assessment this year to ensure the Air Force can continue to project air power in defense of the nation by assessing the Air Force's ability to carry out its core missions in 2000 and beyond.

Called Y2K Flag, the operational assessments will help the command comply with a congressional mandate to operationally assess all mission-critical systems -- those expected to be needed in a major theater war -- in at least two exercises.

The operational assessments at Moody will ensure the Air Force can conduct combat search-and-rescue missions and will involve A-10, HH-60 and HC-130 aircraft. The crews will be put into realistic training scenarios with all systems rolled over to key Y2K dates.

The focus at Eglin is intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance systems like the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, RC-135 and EC-130 aircraft. The assessments will also include F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft to evaluate their integration with the ISR systems with the systems rolled forward to Y2K dates.

In May, an execution phase was conducted at Hill AFB, Utah, to assess air-to-ground weapon systems. ACC conducted a similar exercise at Tyndall AFB, Fla., at the same time to assess air-to-air missiles. An execution phase was also held at Nellis AFB, Nev., in June and integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance "sensor" aircraft with bomber and fighter "shooter" aircraft to assess the sensor-to-shooter chain necessary to carry out a major theater war in 2000.

Other phases of the Y2K Flag are assessing campaign planning and tasking in air operations centers, and command-and-control planning and execution of Air Force missions in 2000.

The three-phase Y2K Flag operational assessment is using already-scheduled exercises and operational events through September. The exercises include commander-in-chief level exercises to demonstrate Joint Air Operations Center capabilities, exercising wing support and operation systems, and employing weapons and command-and-control systems. The phased approach connects operational evaluations of the unified commands and assessments of the Air Force. (Courtesy of ACC News Service)

RELATED SITES

The Y2K Page

* A-10 Thunderbolt
* E-3 Sentry (AWACS)
* E-8 Joint STARS
* F-15 Eagle (B/C/D Models)
* F-16 Fighting Falcon
* Air Combat Command
* Air Force Year 2000
* Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
* Hill Air Force Base, Utah
* Langley Air Force Base, Va.
* Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
* Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
* Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
* U.S. Navy

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