AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- The 31st Maintenance Group held an Integrated Combat Turnaround (ICT) Rapid Aircraft Generation Employment (RAGE) exercise April 1, 2021, to showcase the base’s lethal combat capabilities and proven Agile Combat Employment (ACE) effectiveness.
“Every squadron and organization had hands in this exercise,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Jason Mitchell, 31st MXG commander. “This exercise ties directly to ACE, the concept the whole command is getting after, and Aviano is at the forefront of that.”
This exercise was jam packed with demonstrations and competitions that displayed Aviano’s ability to communicate, coordinate, and execute wartime operations.
This RAGE exercise included an inert Bomb Build competition, timed ICT operations on two F-16 Fighting Falcons and the assembly of .50-caliber gun systems on an HH-60 Pave Hawk.
“During an ICT, aircrew members simulate returning from a combat mission, and employ rapid reload of expended munitions,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Masaud Wahedi, 31st MXG weapons standardization team chief.
Airmen from the 555th and 510th Aircraft Maintenance Units worked together to load munitions and simultaneously refuel the aircraft, all while the engine was still running. The objective is to make the aircraft combat-ready as quickly as possible.
During these events, instructors evaluated the teams on technical proficiency, safety procedures and overall time. Only one team from each competition came out on top.
The inert Bomb Build champions included six members who finished building a guided bomb unit-31v3 Joint Direct Attack Munition.
A team of five members assigned to the 555th AMU participated in the ICT competition and won with a time of 24 minutes and 22 seconds. Victors who built gun systems on the HH-60 with a time of 8 minutes and 48 seconds hailed from the 56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit.
Numerous squadrons across Aviano collaborated to make this RAGE exercise run smoothly, to include the 731st Munitions Squadron at Camp Darby, Italy, who provided and loaded munitions during the exercise.
“We had a multitude of moving parts and the support of various agencies to ensure the exercise was successful,” said Wahedi. “The planning process began 10 weeks out. It involved countless individuals to prepare, coordinate and develop this exercise.”
This RAGE exercise is conducted quarterly, and the men and women of the 31st MXG have taken the initiative and implemented their vision into daily operations, said Wahedi.
“Aviano’s mission is quite unique compared to other fighter wings,” said Wahedi. “Throughout our history we have proven [our ability] to remain agile and answer our nation’s call, whether that be executing missions from home or abroad.”