Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

Airmen from the 9th and 29th Aircraft Maintenance Units load a hybrid flightline generator into an CH-53E Super Stallion at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 saw Holloman Air Force Base Airmen being trained by Cannon AFB, N.M., Airmen on how to use a Portable Aircraft Control System. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Camden Barnes, 29th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics system technician, unboxes a TowFLEXX TF3 aircraft tug at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 13, 2023. Airmen from Holloman Air Force Base, Cannon AFB, N.M., and Creech AFB, Nevada, participated in Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 at Twentynine Palms to hone their skills while also supporting RPA training for Marines stationed there. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Erandy Rodriguez, 29th Aircraft Maintenance Unit MQ-9 Reaper advanced fighter aircraft avionics technician, pulls a portable flood light across a runway at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. This was Holloman Air Force Base’s first Agile Combat Employment launch and recovery operation with a Portable Aircraft Control Station. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kawan Dickerson, 727th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief, left, and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kyle Thompson, 29th Aircraft Maintenance Unit MQ-9 Reaper systems apprentice, stop an MQ-9’s engine at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 saw Holloman Air Force Base Airmen being trained by Cannon AFB, N.M., Airmen on how to use a Portable Aircraft Control System. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Shaun Shaffer, 29th Aircraft Maintenance Unit assisted dedicated crew chief, uses a Portable Aircraft Control Station at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 is an exercise that was conducted between Holloman Air Force Base, Cannon AFB, N.M., Creech AFB, Nevada, and the U.S. Marines at Twentynine Palms. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 49th Wing takes off from a runway at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. This was Holloman Air Force Base’s first Agile Combat Employment launch and recovery operation with a Portable Aircraft Control Station. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

A TowFLEXX TF3 aircraft tug hauls an MQ-9 Reaper along a runway at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 saw Airmen from Holloman Air Force Base, Cannon AFB, N.M., and Creech AFB, Nevada, participated in Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 at Twentynine Palms to hone their skills while also supporting RPA training for the Marines. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kyle Thompson, 29th Aircraft Maintenance Unit systems apprentice, marshals an MQ-9 Reaper at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Command Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 16, 2023. Agile Combat Employment Reaper involved the use of Holloman MQ-9s and U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kristin West)

Holloman Airmen participate in ACE Reaper 23.6

Published March 2, 2023
By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Paczkowski
49th Wing Public Affairs

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.-- Airmen from Holloman Air Force Base’s 9th and 29th Aircraft Maintenance Units participated in Agile Combat Employment Reaper 23.6 at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 14 to 16, 2023.

During the exercise, Holloman maintainers were under the guidance of Airmen from both Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., and Creech AFB, Nevada, to gain proficiency with Portable Aircraft Control Stations to enable airfield operations. This system allows maintainers to execute pre-flight checks and eliminates the need for aircrew to deploy for take offs and landings in remote locations.

“Being able to work alongside Creech and Cannon Airmen benefits our maintainers a lot,” said

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Julius Castillo, 29th AMU productions superintendent. “The Airmen from Creech were able to record any difficulties that we ran into during the exercise and the Cannon maintainers provided insight into the PACS and Satcom Launch and Recovery.”

The PACS was used in conjunction with SLR, which allows maintainers to conduct all pre-flight checks as well as take off and land from remote locations. This was the first off-station SLR takeoff and landing while the sensor operators and pilots are still at Holloman AFB.

This exercise was coordinated between the 6^th ATKS and MCAGCC at Twentynine Palms as the host location. The MCAGCC also played a pivotal role in the exercise by providing CH-53E Super Stallions helicopters to help load and off-load equipment to simulate island hopping in the Pacific.

The change in location for the MQ-9s and the Marines’ joint coordination and participation in the exercise provided great opportunities for the aircrew back at Holloman to experience new challenges and joint operations.

“Being able to use PACS and SLR changes the way that we fight,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Christopher Conover, 6th Attack Squadron assistant operations officer. “This is just one of the options that we have for training because it feels real for our Airmen.”

With Holloman Airmen being able to work with new equipment, such as the PACS, working with different branches and other air force bases allows them to become more proficient at their jobs.

The 49th Wing prioritizes building combat aircrew, and the multi-capable Airmen that performed in this unique circumstance of which they can’t experience at the home station are the ones who make that happen.