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The mission of Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing is to maintain the world's best rapidly deployable air control and air superiority forces for theater Commander-in-Cheifs. The 33d, known as the " NOMADS " for its constant travel throughout the world is a combat-flying unit of Air Combat Command's 9th Air Force and is a major tenant unit on Eglin AFB in the Florida Panhandle.
The wing operates two flying squadrons, the 58th FS " Gorillas " and the 60th FS " Fighting Crows ", each with 24 F-15C/D Eagles. It also has the 33d Operations Support Squadron, the 33d Logistics Support Squadron, the 33d Maintenance Squadron and the 728th Air Control Squadron. Operational readiness is a critical issue for the U.S. Air Force as
a whole, and the 33d FW in particular. Capt. Gary "Tonka"
Rose of the 60th FS discussed " operational readiness occurs in
our day-to-day training, structured as a building block approach. In
preparation for an upcoming deployment to Saudi Arabia in March 2001
for participation in Operation Southern Watch, we go back to the basics
of BFM (Basic Fighter Maneuvering), one v. one maneuvering against similar
aircraft, then working up to night ops, low altitude training,
Each squadron flies approximately 24 sorties per day. Each pilot usually flies 3-4 sorties per week. War pilots are maintained at the highest level of proficiency. These pilots are ready for combat in a moment's notice. Combat Capable pilots are ready for combat but would get a spin-up program prior to a combat deployment, bringing them right up to max performance. Similar to the entire military regarding nonavailability of spare parts, personnel and aging fleet problems, the 33d maintains their combat readiness by doing more with less. Maintenance crews are extremely dedicated and work long hard hours to maintain their jets combat ready. Recent upgrades in the F-15C's of the 33d remain classified at this time. Up for discussion, however, was the AIM-120's now in use, being more cost effective to produce, have increased capability against electronic attack, and longer shot ranges secondary to longer battery life in the missle itself. SORTIES
Typical sorties range from one to one and a half hours, depending on
which mission is planned for the day. Basic Fighter Maneuvering (BFM)
is high G / high power, very aggressive maneuvering, flown violently,
in full afterburner from takeoff to landing. These sorties last about
45 minutes, and this would be at the beginning of each week. In our Upgrade Program, when a new pilot comes into the squadron, they need to get checked out to the next level. They start out as a two-ship formation as the flight lead. These sortieslast 1.5 to 2 hours, and with the brief, actual flight, and debrief, the day can last 10-14 hours long.
For a 2v. 2 sortie, the day can be 6-8 hours total. The Flight Leader will do mission preparation the day before to maximize the training for the sortie for everyone involved. It will begin with a one hour brief by the Flight Lead, discussing how they will deploy as a 4-ship or 2-ship, fly the mission, then debrief. The debrief can last 2 hours for a sortie that was flown to absolute precision, or 4 to 8 hours depending on the flight. Our training progresses as building blocks. Again, we start out with BFM, visual engagements. We do basic handling of the jet, Aircraft Handling Characteristics, maneuvering the jet at the very edge of the envelope, max-performing the jet. The jet actually "talks" to you - you might feel a light shake on the stick, the wings might start to shake...then you ease off a bit. Then to BFM.
You start out with a guy at 3000ft behind you, one a mile behind that, and one 1.5 miles behind him. Your objective ( as the first jet) is to deny him an initial shot at you. The guy at the back must stay on the tail of the one in front and engage him and shoot him. Then on the ACM (Air Combat Maneuvering), high speed, high G , max-performing the jet pulling 8 to 9 +Gz throughout the flight.
60% of our sorties are flown Beyond Visual Range (BVR). We will have an 8-ship formation of F-15's heading out to engage an unknown number of bandits. OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH
The 33d FW continually supports Operation Southern Watch, patrolling the no-fly zone in Iraq. The wing deploys approximately 300 personnel to Saudi Arabia, 250 maintainers, 30 pilots, 30-40 ops to support pilots, life support, intelligence, administration, etc. There will be air refueling tankers, AWACS, Airborne Command and Control, F-15's F-16's, along with multi-national allies such as the Brits and their Tornadoes.
The days last 12 hours long for each individual, supporting ops on a 24 / 7 basis. There are no down days, and temperatures soar into the hundreds out on the flightline. Operational readiness exercises maintain their winning edge for the munitions crews as discussed by MSgt Paul Medlick of the 33d FW 60th FS, a Weapons Flight Chief. A full combat environment is simulated on a regular basis to maintain war readiness. Their goal is to fly, fight, and win. A crew of 10 works together for each jet for their Integrated Combat Turnaround for the aircraft.
The 33d will remain an air-superiority wing, and is hoping to become one of the first F-22 Raptor wings.
HISTORY OF THE 33d FW
The 33d FW has a long and distinguished history dating back to battles over the skies of Europe and Asia skies during WWII. Activated on 15 January 1941 at Mitchel Field, New York, as the 33d Pursuit Group, the unit performed combat operations during WWII in North Africa, the Mediterranean and the China, India, Burma theater. The wing deactivated in 1957, however was reactivated in 1965 at Eglin AFB, Florida under the new designation of 33d Tactical Fighter Wing flying the F-4 Phantom. During the Vietnam War, the 33d TFW trained, equipped and deployed eight combat squadrons of F-4's to Southeast Asia. The 33d TFW received it's first F-15 Eagle in 1978 and continues to fly the Eagle to present day. In 1980 the wing was the first Tactical Air Command to take part in the Multi-Stage Improvement Program. Additionally, the wing won William Tell, a biennial Air Force-wide air-to-air competotion in 1984 and '86, followed by the "Long Arrow" competition, a no-notice air-to-air competition in 1987.
The wing's F-15's saw their first combat in October 1984 when the 33d participated in Operation Urgent Fury, the rescue of American medical students from Grenada, and again 5 years later more action during the removal of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega in Operation Just Cause.
OPERATION DESERT STORM
The Nomads played an integral role during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Air Force leaders deployed the Nomads to King Faisal Air Base in Northwestern Saudi Arabia to support Operation Desert Shield. 24 F-15's and 769 personnel, largely from the 58th TFS "Gorillas" departed Eglin AFB and arrived in Saudi Arabia in late August and early September 1991. In the early morning hours of 17 January 1991, Operation Desert Storm began with a surprise attack over Baghdad by F-117's and F-15E's. Nomad pilots launched their F-15C's in two 4-ship formations at midnight on the 17th. Their mission was to clear the skies around Baghdad of enemy aircraft and open a "corridor" for a second allied strike force of F-16's. At 0310, Capt Jon Kelk scored the first aerial kill of the war destroying a Soviet-built MiG-29 with an AIM-7 missle. Shortly thereafter, Capt Robert Graeter downed two Iraqi Mirage F-1's for the second and third kills of the war. Later, Capt Rhory Draeger and Capt Charles Magill intercepted and destroyed two MiG-29's in the skies west of Baghdad.
By the end of the Gulf War, the Nomads scored the most combat kills (16) of any allied unit. Col. Rick Parsons, 33dTFW Commander at the time, became the only wing commander to record an aerial victory when he shot down a Su-7 fighter on 7 February. Other Nomad accomplishments included:
The success of each mission relied on the hundreds of maintence and support personnel who woked to ensure the planes and pilots were ready to fly. Current Commander of the 60th FS, LTCOL Jay T. Denney participated
in Desert Storm while in the 53d TFS 36th TFW. The 33d FW remains continually devoted to providing air superiority forces to the various theater Commander-in-Chief's who call upon its service. SPECIAL THANKS TO:Capt. Gary "Tonka" Rose LtCol. Jay "OP" Denney Rebecca Sheldon - Public Affairs All Photographs by Anita Lesko except where specified.
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| OTHER ARTICLES OF ASI DECEMBER 2001
ISSUE | News In Brief | Letters To The Editor | World Records | | 94th FAI General Conference 2001 | | Space Ships - Design of the Future | | Nomads of Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing | | Locating Amelia Earhart | 
More articles on General Aviation |
