Scheduled Spangdahlem F16 reduction

[Rene Peteri]

COMUSAFE visits Spangdahlem, discusses CAF redux

Posted 1/11/2010 Updated 1/11/2010 Email story Print story



by Senior Airman Kali L. Gradishar
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

1/11/2010 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Gen. Roger A. Brady, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, visited Spangdahlem Air Base Jan. 8 to emphasize the important role each Airman fulfills in supporting the mission both at home station and in the deployed environment. He also took time to discuss various issues affecting Sabers.

One such issue the general discussed was the possible Combat Air Forces restructuring plan, a proposal to retire legacy fighters to fund a smaller and more capable force, as well as redistribute people for higher priority missions. The affects, should the plan be approved by Congress, would impact Spangdahlem aircraft and personnel.

"The CAF restructuring plan is driven by a need for us to free up funds to develop more capability largely in the CAF itself, which has to do with new weapons, missiles and small diameter bombs," the USAFE commander explained.

"What it amounts to is basically a squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcons out of Spangdahlem. So rather than having two squadrons of 21 primary assigned aircraft units, you will have one 24-PAA squadron in addition to the A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron," General Brady said.

The plan would include a possible reduction in Spangdahlem manpower authorizations by approximately 450, and 18 F-16s would be removed. Under the proposed plan, the Air Force could see a cost savings of about $355 million in fiscal 2010. The Air Force would then be able to invest most of those funds in advanced capability modifications to remaining fighters and bombers.

Gen. Brady commended Col. Tip Wight, 52nd Fighter Wing commander, and the Saber team for their hard work and dedication during the expected transition.

"Col. Wight and other leaders here are working to make the move as smooth as possible," General Brady said.

The USAFE commander also discussed the significance of Spangdahlem and the continuation of its mission in the Eifel region, as well as the importance of the 52nd FW mission and its geographically-separated units.

"There is a lot going on at Spangdahlem, which includes the 52nd FW and the Air Mobility Command missions the base supports," he said. "Spangdahlem will continue to be important, both as a location for fighter aircraft as well as for mobility ... but as we continue to look at where we have mission capability throughout Europe, Spangdahlem will be an important part of that plan."

"We have some capability here that we don't have other places ... (Sabers) have repeatedly and continually demonstrated incredible combat capability down range. They are also extraordinarily important when they are home for partner building here, for assurance to the alliance, the reassurance of our allies and the U.S. commitment to NATO."

You've got the full range of fighter activity, you've got support to an important mobility hub, you've got partnering with our allies, and Spangdahlem has taken part in the air policing mission in the Baltics. Spang continues to be an important part of all the major things we undertake here in USAFE," he added.

The force behind every 52nd FW success is the Sabers who support the mission, the general noted.

"Every Airman has a skill that is critical to what the team does," the general said. "We have very smart Airmen who want to fix things and make things better. It's what Airmen do. We will continue to be the most respected air and space force on the planet. It starts with the individual, but it quickly expands to the Airman next to you, to the flight, squadron, group and wing. We have put together an incredible team here at the 52nd Fighter Wing."
Before departing Spangdahlem, General Brady held a standing-room only briefing to thank Spangdahlem Airmen for their contributions here and down range.

"Every Airman has an important piece of the USAFE, U.S. European Command, NATO and Air Force mission," General Brady said. "I want more than anything, every Airman to understand that they are an important cog in that wheel. They are an important part of what we do here."

[K-9]

So the rumour seems right....

This will leave us with an airbase with even less fighter movements. A pity...

[Hurricane]

So the rumour seems right....

This will leave us with an airbase with even less fighter movements. A pity...

All USAFE-units will notice something by these cuts; I do wonder if this also effects the quest for new FOB's that where planned in Poland / Bulgaria as these became quite the last period ...

Adios, H.

[Arjan]

Wonder if the 22nd of 23rd will be cut!

[K-9]

Wonder when this transition will take place. So far Spangdahlem PR isn't giving info, and the USAFE PR refers to the before mentioned PR-office, for more info...

[Maurizio]

The 148th FW is scheduled to receive their first block50s in April, so it will take no longer that the first Vipers will depart Spang.

What is not clear at me is that actually thay have 51 F-16s, if 18 will be withdrawn, aren't 33 aircraft a little bit much for a single Squadron?

[K-9]

That's indeed a lot of "spare" ....
However as far as i have heard, the 148th FW can receive the fighters from other units as well. Since more fighters will be going on the move...

[Oscar01]

Hi K-9,

The press article says very clear that they are comming from Spangdahlem. However, it doesn't mention that these will be withdrawn from Spang. So, give ourselfs a bit of hope: they just might get new as well at spang?

But I'm affraid Maurizio is right, but time will tell.......

Regards,
Oz

[Supervisor]

There is some rumour that the first batch might be departing Spang sometime later this week. Has anyone seen any aircraft without markings or even in the colours of Minnesota ANG? They will be gone sooner than we all expected!

[Tigerspoon]

There is some rumour that the first batch might be departing Spang sometime later this week. Has anyone seen any aircraft without markings or even in the colours of Minnesota ANG? They will be gone sooner than we all expected!

don't think they will get the Minnesota code or c/s at Spang..........they will leave as SP Vipers........

[Arjan]

Probably, but in the 90's with the withdrawal of large amounts of Ramstein and Hahn vipers and Bitburg Eagles many flew to Conus allready sporting their new markings

[blu109]

And what about the rumour of the canadian air force to come at spang?

[evhest]

Canadians at SP......

Time for a reality check maybe?

[Rene Peteri]

Probably this is the source...
3/27/2009 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The Canadians are coming to Spangdahlem -- after accepting a U.S. Air Force offer to use the base as the springboard in Canada's intensive global search for strategic hub locations offering operational support to its deployed troops.

Under an agreement with close allies Germany and the U.S., Canada has begun to implement a plan to use Spangdahlem AB as a critical transit and marshalling center for existing and potential international Canadian Forces commitments.

"With the mission in Afghanistan, we have experienced the challenges of maintaining a 12,000 kilometer (7,400) supply chain and it hasn't been easy," said Major-General Daniel Benjamin, commander of the Canadian Operational Support Command. "Our first priority was Europe in the development of what will eventually become a network of hubs worldwide to meet any contingency that causes our government to deploy troops for military or humanitarian purposes. Spangdahlem was in the top ranks on a short list for the first hub and we are grateful for the enthusiastic response that expedited the final choice."

The base has been used by the Canadian Forces since mid-2007 as an occasional refueling stop in flights to Afghanistan and other theaters, but that role is about to be expanded later this year. A small team of CF personnel will be working with their U.S. Air Force counterparts to co-ordinate a regular weekly rotation of three to five operational support flights.

This is expected to be a relatively seamless operation because the air forces of the two countries are working to integrate Canadian aircraft into the U.S. Air Mobility Command's automated movements management system. In addition to 60 years' experience as a primary peacekeeping force for the United Nations, the CF more recently has increasingly been assigned a spearhead combat role in trouble spots around the world as part of its commitment to NATO and other alliances.
More than 2,500 troops are currently deployed in Afghanistan and involved in some of the toughest fighting around Kandahar.

General Benjamin, whose 2,000-member command was created three years ago specifically to plan and co-ordinate the logistics of Canada's far-flung military missions, said the Afghan mission has provided some pointed lessons about the need for "safe harbors" around the globe. "Our NATO obligations used to be mainly centered in Europe and we could count on using the significant facilities and services provided by the alliance members there."

With NATO itself forced to look outside its traditional European sphere to address such concerns as the war on terrorism, Canada has to develop new ways to find strategic springboards for its troops and ways to sustain them in the field half a world away, he said.

While the CF has successfully answered the Afghan supply chain challenge with a combination of heavy-lift aircraft and sealift carriers, he said, future deployments require strategically-located hubs to shorten the time and distance for final jump into theater. Transport aircraft are much better used flying time-sensitive resources shorter distances from hubs where supplies can be pre-positioned and augmented by sealift.

Spangdahlem, already being referred to in the Canadian military as "Euro-Hub." becomes the first in what is expected to become of web of seven locations to be developed and kept in readiness for theater activation and support. U.S. Air Force personnel at the base won't notice much of a CF presence -- perhaps a half-dozen CANOSCOM specialists -- as the Canadians work with their American and German counterparts to plan for any future contingency.

[evhest]

Yeah, but people somehow start having visions of Canadian Hornets.... All it says is ,,a small team of CF personnel will be working with their U.S. Air Force counterparts to co-ordinate a regular weekly rotation of three to five operational support flights''. And that's it.