Deployed AIS maintainers troubleshoot, fix critical F-16 parts

  • Published
  • By Mater Sgt. Steve Horton
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq --  When an F-16 pilot takes off on a combat mission, he needs to be confident his equipment will function properly. And, if a problem does arise, he needs to be sure it will get fixed or replaced before he has to fly again.

Each time a pilot, maintainer or crew chief here identifies a broken line-replacement unit; it is removed from the aircraft and brought to the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Avionics Intermediate Shop. It's the responsibility of the AIS Airmen to troubleshoot and repair mission-critical F-16 LRUs to get the aircraft back into the fight.

"Everything we work on is critical to the flight operation of the aircraft," said Master Sgt. Jeffery Tabaka, 332nd EMXS AIS flight chief deployed from the Ohio Air National Guard's 180th Fighter Wing out of Toledo. "There is a line-replacement unit, or 'black box,' for many of the important functions on the aircraft -- including the flight controls, radar navigation, communication and engine controls."

"The sooner we can get it (the part) repaired and back in the jet, the quicker that jet can get back in the air," added Tech Sgt. Daniel Barrett, 332nd EMXS AIS technician, deployed from the 482nd Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. "We run tests more than once on each piece of equipment that we fix. We want to get it done quickly, but we want to make sure they are good, also."

The shop's Airmen are responsible for maintaining and operating a $3.9 million mobile test station which uses a computer and software to identify the problem and fix it. After it is fixed, it's sent back to supply -- but not before the part is cleaned up to look as if it's brand new.

"What we do saves lives," Sergeant Tabaka said. "As long as we help keep the jets flying, they can be out providing the support to the troops on the ground when they need it."

The AIS Airmen also have the unique distinction of being the first Avionics Intermediate Shop, here, made up completely of Guardsmen and Reservists. The shop consists of Airmen from the 180th FW ANG from Toledo, Ohio; the 138th FW ANG from Tulsa, Okla.; the 183rd FW ANG from Springfield, Ill.; the 482nd FW from Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., and the 301st FW based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Ft. Worth Carswell Field, Texas.

"This is a great learning experience," Sergeant Barrett said. "We get to work on parts and jets that we don't usually see because we don't all have the same models of aircraft at our base as we have here.

"We have guys from different bases coming together here and developing a great cohesiveness. It's been a great transition. Everyone has been able to draw on each other's experiences," he said.

Drawing on that experience has helped the AIS ensure pilots can be confident their equipment will work properly when the time comes to fly combat missions, and in the process, helps save lives.