Bomb builders outfit Fighting Falcons

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Larry Schneck
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Munitions flight Airmen begin a production process that takes unassembled bombs, puts them together and delivers them to the flightline for awaiting aircraft.

"The bombs just don't come out of a box ready to be loaded," said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Baker, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron conventional maintenance NCO-in-charge. "We provide reliable munitions to the fighter squadrons so training sorties are not missed."

Thirty-two Airmen in the section are responsible for the inspection, assembly and maintenance of all general purpose bombs, precision guided bombs and aircraft countermeasures.

It is an important part of the Luke Air Force Base mission to train F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots and crew chiefs and one of the dirtiest jobs on base. A lot of hard work and coordination goes into putting the munitions together.

"If we are not successful in performing our mission the pilots would not receive the combat training they are sent to Arizona for," Sergeant Baker said.

The munitions flight moves 270,000 rounds of 20-millimeter ammunition to the fighter squadrons in support of F-16 pilot training. According to 56th EMS, this exceeds the U.S. Air Force average rate by 220 percent.

"We hold ammunition production courses and invite student pilots to watch a bomb build," said Senior Master Sgt. Ben Odom, 56th EMS munitions materiel section chief. "We show them what it takes to support their training requirements."

Capt. Chris Hubbard, 310th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, brought two groups of his students to the munitions storage area on the south end of Luke Sept. 23. The pilots from the flying squadrons observed a routine bomb build operation and got a feeling for what goes into assembling the assets they drop.

"The orientation helps student pilots better understand the munitions process," said Master Sgt. Chad Warren, 56th EMS systems section.

The F-16 flights over the Barry M. Goldwater Range equaled more than 32,000 flying hours and 24,000 missions. It took 10,000 bombs and 2,276 rockets built by munitions systems specialists at the MSA to complete those successful training flights.

"We also have an off-installation mission at the Gila Bend Annex," Sergeant Baker said. "Munitions handling units or trailers are kept there for aircraft diversions and explosive ordnance disposal support items for controlled detonations."

The shop hands off the assembled munitions to the line delivery element. They do exactly what their name indicates; they handle and deliver the required munitions from the MSA bomb dump to the flightline.

One of the weapons the Airmen inspect, assemble, test and maintain is GBU-38s. They take a bomb body and attach the guidance kit and other components that turn it into a smart bomb, directed by GPS to its target.

"We maintain proficiency of our Airmen on these systems through bomb builds," Sergeant Warren said. "It continues the training of recent technical school graduates."

Showing what goes into a bomb build to the student pilots gives them an appreciation for a difficult and dirty but important job. The delivery of these munitions to the aircraft and uploading for sortie take-off is a key part of the successful projection of air power.