Seize The Field

Photo by A1C Peter Thompson

 Crews from Dyess AFB, Texas, flying B-1B bombers and C-130J transports took part in a joint airfield seizure exercise on 25 April 2013 over Winston Field in Snyder, Texas. The exercise, coordinated by the 77th Weapons Squadron at Dyess, was a first-of-its-kind, and included Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, or JTACs, from Nellis AFB, Nevada, and F/A-18 Hornet pilots from NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas. The participating crews were targeted by simulated tracking radar, anti-aircraft artillery, and surface-to-air missiles from the Snyder Electronic Scoring Site, adding to the realism of the scenario. After the initial attack by the B-1s and a simulated heavy equipment airdrop, a twelve-ship formation of C-130Js simulated an airdrop of 720 Army Rangers and Air Force JTACs.