Reserve pilot pulls double duty during Red Flag

Published Aug. 18, 2010
By Capt. Ashley Conner
477th Fighter Group Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Pilots flying sorties during Red Flag-Alaska can expect long days filled with mission planning, preflight briefings and post-flight briefings.

Maj. Chad Feucht, 302nd Fighter Squadron F-22 pilot, is fulfilling his Air Force Reserve Command flying commitment during the realistic 10-day air combat training exercise. At the same time, he is performing his civilian job as the 3rd Wing's lead F-22 mission support software engineer for Lockheed Martin.

As a software support engineer, he coordinates with the squadron weapons shops to optimize programs and lethality of the F-22.

"There is so much cross over between both my civilian and military jobs," he said. "Being a pilot, a mission commander and weapons officer make me a better software engineer and vice versa."

On days when Major Feucht is not mission planning and flying sorties for Red Flag he can be found in the vault of the Red Flag building ensuring the integrity of the F-22's software system.

During Red Flag missions, the major and 14 other pilots assigned to Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group integrate with their Regular Air Force counterparts in the 90th and 525th Fighter Squadrons under the 3rd Wing.

"During normal training, there is seamless integration with the active-duty squadrons," said Lt. Col. Hubie Hegtvedt, 302nd FS commander. "In Red Flag, it is no different."

After Air Force leaders noticed high casualty rates in deployed combat engagements, Red Flags were established in the early 1990s to give pilots their first 10 combat missions in a safer environment. The first Red Flag Alaska was held in 1992.

The top priority during Red Flags is to ensure that young pilots are receiving the combat training they need to go to war, said Colonel Hegtvedt. The second priority is to get new F-22 pilots combat training, regardless of their prior fighter aircraft experience.

As a former F-16 pilot, Major Feucht falls into the second category of pilots.

"In the F-16, I probably flew in over 16 different flag exercises," he said. "Nothing compares to training in Red Flag Alaska because of the F-22s situational awareness. It acts as a force multiplier, and it increases other aircrafts lethality and survivability.

"The flying operations are geographically separated between here and Eielson, and the size of the range allows for more realistic training," he added.

The 477th Fighter Group has integrated with the 3rd Wing flying squadrons during normal flying operations and Red Flag exercises in Alaska since the group stood up in 2007.