Air Force Gets Aggressive -- With Itself -- About Combat Training

To become the best airmen in the world, the Air Force trains against the best airmen in the world.

Aggressors, as they’re known, scrimmage against their fellow Airmen, much like football teams preparing for a game. Traditionally, aggressors have focused on aircrews -- but in the near future, the Air Force is expanding instruction to encompass ground, space and cyberspace training, as well as streamlining the way air combat is taught.

"Aggressors are about training, pure and simple," said Maj. Gen. Norman Seip, assistant deputy chief of staff for air, space and information operations. "They train to replicate the tactics a potential enemy might use. Then they take those tactics and use them against Airmen preparing to go to the fight."

The 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base, NV has managed this type of training since 1972, when the Air Force realized it needed to train its aircrews more effectively. During the Korean War, the Air Force benefited from a 10-to-1 ratio in defeating enemy fighters; that ratio dropped to 1-to-1 during Vietnam.

The Air Force can’t let that happen again, General Seip said.

The threat, however, is no longer just air-to-air or surface-to-air. Airmen must be prepared against different types of attacks. In addition to the F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons the 57th flies, there are aggressors for space, cyberspace and information operations.

In fact, this type of training is so important the Air Force has dedicated aggressors whose sole mission is to operate as potential adversaries in every realm the service operates. For example, pilot aggressors train as air-to-air threats, while information operation aggressors train Airmen to counter tactics like enemy propaganda and false rumors, General Seip said.

Aggressor training won’t be limited to just the US Air Force. The program includes officers from the other services, as well as from other nations. In addition, the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard hold significant roles.

"This is some of the best training in the world, so it only makes sense to include the total force, our sister services and some of our coalition partners," General Seip said.

While the tactics group will be the managing organization, Nellis isn’t the only place Airmen will receive aggressor training. Geographically separated space and information operations units will also conduct and receive the training.

When its Airmen aren’t preparing for training exercises at Nellis, the 57th will send its aggressors on "road shows" to various bases. The tours will ensure Airmen who need the training will get it, General Seip said.

"Regardless of their job in the Air Force, we need to do everything to make it possible for our expeditionary Airmen to succeed," General Seip said. "Our job is to prepare the force to take on the threat, wherever it may come from. Aggressor training does just that."

(Aero-News salutes Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski.)

FMI: www.af.mil