Coalition partnerships built through tactical training exercise

by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania – Maintainers from the 81st Fighter Squadron pull out firing pins and chalks to ready an A-10 Thunderbolt II for takeoff before a night combat search and rescue training mission July 20 during Dacian Thunder, a month-long partnership building exercise. Dacian Thunder is an exercise in which U.S. Air Force, Romanian air force, U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Air Force exchange techniques, tactics, and procedures to strengthen coalition and joint capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard) Hi-res

Note: Pictured is A-10C 81-0976 from the 81st Fighter Squadron.

7/23/2012 - CAMPIA TURZII, Romania -- Dacian Thunder, a partnership-building exercise, takes place throughout the month of July here.

Approximately 260 members of the 81st Fighter Squadron along with members of the U.S. Marine Corps, Royal Air Force and Romanian air force's 71st Air Fotilla are training with one another in Dacian Thunder to strengthen capabilities as combined forces in contingency operations.

Throughout the exercise each nation trains and exchanges methods to sharpen tactics, techniques and procedures in air-to-air, air-to-ground, combat search and rescue, air defense, air security, air intelligence, tactical command, and cross service logistical support and operations.

"It's exceptional training we're able to accomplish together," said Lt. Col. John Briner, 81st FS commander. "For combat search and rescue, we had the opportunity to work with Romanian helicopters, and we hadn't had that opportunity before."

"We enjoy to fly, work and collaborate with the U.S.," added Romanian air force Capt. George Diveica, 71st Air Fotilla IAR 330 helicopter pilot. "All in all, it's a great experience and training for all partners.

It is very helpful and useful for us to train with these countries." It is good to learn from one another and gain strength through seeing how each country executes their procedures. It's also nice to see and share how each country accomplishes missions using different techniques and methods, he added.

Exercising with the Romanain IAR 330 helicopter and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 pilots here is beneficial for the 81st FS pilots because they operate with them in contingency operations around the world. Working together now, helps both parties understand each other's mechanisms and answers questions in a training environment rather than real world operations.

"We're looking to sharpen our tactical knives and make sure we're better and more proficient in different skills sets," said Briner. "We're also here to continue to develop our relationship with the Romanian air force. We were here last year doing the same missions, so we're building up on what we have with the Romanain pilots. That way, we can have a good foundation of working together to increase the challenging mission sets we have to have.

"We will see them, the Romanians, in future contingency operations," he continued. "It's a way to practice and be ready so when that next contingency develops, we'll have built relations already."

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania – An 81st Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot executes low-altitude strafes in a field here July 20 during Dacian Thunder, a partnership building exercise. Dacian Thunder is a month-long exercise in which U.S. Air Force, Romanian air force, U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Air Force exchange techniques, tactics and procedures to strengthen coalition and joint capabilities. (U.S. Air force photo by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard) Hi-res

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania – An 81st Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot checks his aircraft's systems before flying a night combat search and rescue training mission July 20 during Dacian Thunder. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard) Hi-res

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania – A maintainer with the 81st Fighter Squadron stands ready to marshal an A-10 Thunderbolt II as a Romanian IAR 330 helicopter flies above the flightline here July 20 during Dacian Thunder. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard) Hi-res

Source including 6 photos)