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Total Force supports Weapons School

  • Published
  • By Maj. Ashley Walker
  • 913th Airlift Group

The Air Force Reserve 913th Airlift Group was part of a Team Little Rock effort to support the largest U.S. Air Force Weapons School Integration capstone event, June 6.

“We are one of 19 C-130J aircrews who assisted weapons school students with their capstone event,” said Capt. Ryan Christopherson, Air Force Reserve 327th Airlift Squadron pilot. “This is a great training opportunity to integrate with our active duty counterparts. We are very enthusiastic to play a part in an event that develops our force’s tactical experts and future war planners.”

The crews were part of the more than 75 aircraft that amassed within the Nellis Tactical Training Range to conduct advanced tactics. The C-130s simulated airdrops of personnel and equipment as part of the mobility air force portion of the scenario.  

“The Joint Forcible Entry is a complex mission set focusing on providing rapid delivery of Army forces in a contested space,” said Christopherson. “To ensure U.S. presence in enemy territory, we need the full range of combat capabilities to ensure success with minimal risk. This requires coordination and integration with other Air Force assets.”

The culmination of the course is the Advanced Integration phase where student must plan and conduct military responses to a realistic, challenging scenario. Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills by integrating multiple weapons systems across the land, air, space and cyber domains.

“Though we have a supporting role in the event, our goal is to take advantage of this realistic training experience,” said Capt. Jonathan Leslie, Air Force Reserve 327 AS pilot. “We integrated seamlessly into the mobility air force portion of the event, proving how the Reserves are ready and able to provide strategic depth to the fight.”

Upon graduation, the new weapons officers serve as unit weapons and tactics officers, leading combat missions and providing senior leaders and decision makers tactical, operational and strategic impact support.

The Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada, trains tactical experts and leaders across a multitude of specialties to control and exploit air, space and cyberspace on behalf of the joint force. The 29th Weapons Squadron, based out of Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, is a detachment focused on C-130J tactics.