Falcon Range: Wing's best-kept secret weapon Published July 10, 2011 By SSgt Christopher Bolen 301 FW Public Affairs FORT SILL, Okla. -- The 301st Fighter Wing has a secret weapon when it comes to training its pilots in real-world scenarios. The Wing is one of only two in Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) to run its own air-to-ground gunnery and bombing range. The range represents an invaluable tool in keeping the wing, other military units and U.S. allies skilled in the tactics needed to carry out their mission. "Basically our mission is to support training for the warfighter," said Bryan Baker, one of two range-safety officers (RSO) working at Falcon and who are employed by the 301st FW. "That includes NATO programs, active-duty and Canadian forces programs too." The Falcon Bombing Range is located near Cache, Okla., and is part of the Quanah Impact Area west of the Army installation Fort Sill, Okla. "Falcon range provides a place where training and combat-ready aircrews can employ tactics both on the basic level such as the students down at Sheppard Air Force Base and a more advanced level such as the 301st FW," said Mark Kessens, the other range safety officer and range control officer. The range itself dates from 1947 when the Army acquired the private land for artillery practice. The range was used for various weapons tests during the 1970s and 80s. As a result of the Base Realignment and Closure process (BRAC) in 1993, Falcon Range became a "Geographically Separated Unit" (GSU) of the 301st Fighter Wing taking over the maintenance and operation of Falcon Range. The 301st FW provides funding and some equipment for the range. The range operates on a very tight budget estimated to be less than $ 1 million a year, but the return on investment is hard to measure in dollars. "Falcon Range provides realistic training at an affordable cost not only for the 301st FW but also to units all over the central U.S.," Mr. Baker said. "It provides the Air Force Fighter Fundamentals (IFF) school at Sheppard AFB with an ideal environment for its students to practice weapons deliveries." The school at Sheppard AFB Tex., trains student pilots from all over the world in fighter basics. "That includes VMFA-112 [Marines] from NAS Ft. Worth JRB, as well as airlift units," Mr. Kessens said. "Falcon Range is a place where they can employ munitions and practice threat reactions to both radar and visual threats. Importantly it's a place where they can employ combat lasers; it has to be a range like this, they cannot do it anyplace else," Mr. Kessens said. We also provide score able data so they get immediate feedback not only on how effective their bombs are but also their lasers." "We're in close range of a number of customers," Mr. Baker said. Those customers range from the Air Force, Army, Navy, both active and reserve, National Guard and even Oklahoma State University. "When you consider the cost of having to use a tanker to refuel or stopping to refuel while heading to a distant range, you can imagine there is a huge savings in fuel alone." "Because of our proximity to the Army we are very joint in operations and training," Mr. Kessens said. "We interface with the Army extensively as far as range control and part of our job is to be a liaison with the Army." "Our location near Fort Sill allows joint forward observers (JFOs) from the Army to practice what they learn over at Ft. Sill and train with joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) from other U.S. and Canadian forces," he said. "The Canadian Field Artillery School uses Falcon range for weapons practice and training for its Forward Air Controller (FAC) personnel," Mr. Baker said. The personnel working at the range are not only adept in operating the state-of-the art electronics for scoring but also in scavenging components and parts to keep range equipment in useful working condition. The range uses a variety of surplus government material to provide the most realistic threat environment possible at a low cost. The range uses everything from surplus CPR training dummies, trucks and tracked vehicles, to a crane formerly used on a Navy aircraft carrier. "By using surplus, serviceable equipment we can save a lot of money while still providing a great service," Mr. Baker said. And the beauty of using surplus vehicles and equipment is that it can be used down range as a target when it becomes completely unusable." The range is a continually improving operation, which combined with home-grown ingenuity and skill, provides the latest technology in practice and scoring for aircrews under as realistic conditions as possible. In addition to the two RSOs the range is maintained by a staff of eight contract personnel, responsible for everything from equipment maintenance to range "clean up," said Anthony Drye, the contractor supervisor. The ability to improvise is a skill very much in use at Falcon Range. During a recent shift of bombing runs the control unit for the unmanned Jeep Cherokee used to pull a target sled stopped working. Several of the range personnel including Mr. Baker had to take apart the controller and rewire it in order to get the device to back in action. "You see even the RSOs jump in to get the mission done," Mr. Baker said. "We keep the range running and change or modify it as well," Mr. Drye said. "If it breaks we fix it." Mr. Drye also serves as one of only two unexploded ordnance (UXO) specialists working at the range. In addition to live munitions that occasionally turn up from years ago, some of the practice bombs carry small marking charges to aid in scoring hits. "Even small charges can ruin your day," noted Drye. Joshua Lee, the range heavy-equipment mechanic noted that working on the range is a different kind of career. "When you talk to people it's different," he said. "You work on a bombing range and there is not much else to compare it to. Especially when it comes to getting (spare) parts." "Although the staff is a mix of government and contractor personnel we are one team that is mission focused," Mr. Baker said. In addition to new threat simulation systems, the range has had extensive improvement to its roads, buildings and basic infrastructure including 4,628 tons of gravel to shore up its roads. With hard work and intense effort the range achieved a sortie count of 2,525 sorties last year resulting in a 100 percent effectiveness level and a utilization rate of almost 89 percent, second best among Air National Guard and AFRC ranges. "Our ops tempo has just gone through the roof," Mr. Baker said. "But we're ready to handle it." "It's very hectic, it's busy but realistically this is one of the best kept secrets in the Air Force," he said. "I believe we are having a significant impact on the folks that are going out to protect our country."