General News

By Captain Rae Joseph

"MAGIC!!! Picture!" calls out the fighter pilot in the thick of "combat" during Exercise Maple Flag XXXIX at 4 Wing Cold Lake. The pilot is asking for assistance from the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), an aircraft that can see and hear things he cannot, even if it's flying several kilometres away.

"AWACS are the first to leave and the last to come home," laughs Tactical Director Major Mike Collacutt, a Canadian based at the NATO Air Base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, home to the E-3A Component which flies the AWACS (a modified Boeing 707) that attended the six-week exercise at 4 Wing Cold Lake.

During Ex Maple Flag - an international air combat exercise held annually in Alberta - the AWACS, call sign "Magic", acts not only as the ears and eyes for the Canadian and eight other allied aircrews otherwise known as "Blue Air", but also for the opposing force "Red Air "played out by the United States Air Force including the 64^th Aggressor Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base. The role is much like that of a director an aerial ballet.

On this particular day, the AWACS takes flight an hour prior to the Maple Flag launch to get into position, but before their mission is set into motion the crew huddles in the briefing room to plan.

"Developing a plan is as important as executing it," said Maj Collacutt, who has served 29 years combined time in the reserve and regular force. "The AWACS is the command and control structure of the exercise. We put a lot of emphasis on the planning portion of Maple Flag because if you don't have a good plan it's not going to get executed properly to achieve your goal."

Maj Collacutt is one of six Canadians, who complement the 60-member multi-national E-A3 Component participating in Maple Flag. From ground crew to aircrew to operators, the NATO AWACS is like a flying mini globe with members from countries such as Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, U.S.A. and of course Canada.

"It's been a lot of fun and a unique experience [being apart of NATO]," said Corporal Dan Gates, Crew Chief, who has been with the E-3A Component for two years. But as far as Maple Flag is concerned, Cpl Gates is no newcomer to the training exercise.

"I was posted to Cold Lake for 15 years, but this is my second time working with NATO during Maple Flag," he said. "We all have a part to play and we do it well."

Fellow crewmember, Flight Engineer Sergeant Kim Blake agreed, saying how enjoyable serving with the NATO AWACS has been.

"I've been with NATO for two years now serving along side men and women from different parts of the world and it has been great," said Sgt Blake, adding that despite the cultural differences, the professional differences are quite seamless due to a standardized NATO system. Maj Collacutt agrees.

"Yes there is a set NATO structure but within that structure there are allowances for people to stay true to who they are and where they come from," said Major Collacutt.

So for not only providing command and control to allied forces to achieve their objectives during Maple Flag XXXIX, but doing so in a diverse coalition environment, the NATO AWACS is truly MAGIC.