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SMOKEX: Success

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Boutte
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Members of the 509th Weapons Squadron, from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., supported the 509th Bomb Wing during the SMOKEX Exercise Nov. 16.

SMOKEX is a large force exercise ran by the Smokey Hill Air National Guard unit near Salina, Kan., in which several aircraft execute global war on terrorism real-world scenarios. The exercise enhances the proficiency of weapons school students in dynamic targeting operations.

"Our mission was to integrate what we learned at B-2 weapons schools and collaborate to form a successful exercise," said Capt. Philippe Melby, 509th WPS tactical integration phase chief.

The focus of the exercise is to teach them to work with ground units and provide the ground fight with on-call airpower.

"The KC-135's mission was dynamic air-refueling; being at one track and moving to another," said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Welch, 509th WPS, boom operator. "We move to them to give them fuel that they need to accomplish the mission."

The students figured out how to overcome dense ground and air threat environments, execute dynamic targeting and support ground forces with close-air support.

"The team's intent was to accomplish the mission in the allotted time and work through any challenges that they would not anticipate," Melby said. "It gives them a lot of dynamic changes to the mission that they have to work through on the fly."

The students will return to the 509th BW and take what they have learned to their units following weapons school graduation.