Tyndall Eagle pilots teach 'fine art' of air-to-air refueling to JASDF

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt Amanda Ferrell
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Two F-15C Eagle instructor pilots from Tyndall Air Force Base are conducting international training missions with Japan Air Self-Defense Force pilots this week at Naha Air Base, Japan.

Maj. Brian Schafer, 95th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, and Capt. Jeff Personius, 2nd Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, departed Bay County April 12 for Naha Air Base, Japan, where they will spend two weeks training JASDF pilots air-to-air refueling techniques and procedures.

"We will be training Japanese F-15J pilots how to properly execute air-to-air refueling," said Major Schafer. In-flight refueling skills acquired by Japanese pilots will allow them to safely participate in joint training exercises, he said.

F-15J aircraft, which are operated exclusively by the JASDF, are modified versions of the F-15C and D models, which are vital air superiority assets in the U.S. Air Force inventory.

"The (F-15J) aircraft is identical in design to the F-15 C and D, which we operate at Tyndall, though modifications to the avionics and weapons systems set our aircraft apart from those flown by the JASDF," said Maj. David Halasi-Kun, a former 95th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot who traveled to Japan in June 2006 to conduct similar training.
Two additional F-15C Eagle instructor pilots stationed in Japan will augment the two instructors currently deployed from Tyndall. During the two-week training session, instructors will execute nearly 80 missions in effort to train 20 Japanese pilots. Of the 20 JASDF pilots, 16 will receive their initial air-to-air refueling qualifications and four will regain currency.

The 909th Air Refueling Squadron, based at Kadena Air Base, Japan, will provide dedicated tanker support during the training.

The training plan, which includes a series of classroom academics followed by air-to-air refueling sorties, closely resembles the training syllabus used here to teach air refueling techniques to F-15C Eagle Basic Course students. Similar to training on Tyndall, the JASDF training plan will include both day-time and night refueling sorties.

"JASDF pilots will execute one dual day-time sortie, and then fly the mission solo," said Major Schafer. "They will also execute a dual and solo night-time sortie, totaling four air-to-air refueling flights for each pilot in training," he said.

The big-picture goal of this deployment is to qualify 16 JASDF pilots in air-to-air refueling, said Maj. Schafer, who understands the challenges he and his fellow instructors face while training foreign Airmen.

Differences in culture and language create significant challenges when American forces train alongside foreign military members. More so, inequities in tactical proficiency and differing styles of execution create unique challenges when training with international forces as well.

"Most JASDF pilots we train read English well, but their speaking skills aren't as strong," said Major Schafer. "Initially, they were very reluctant to discuss specific topics or ask questions, which may have been due to their comfort level with the English language."

In effort to communicate more effectively, especially while in flight, Tyndall pilots learned basic flight terminology and commands in Japanese.

"I had basic commands translated into Japanese so that I could speak the student's native language during our sorties," said Major Schafer. "This helped reduce their response time in the jet, and helped them avoid freezing up and becoming confused by my instruction in English."

During the two-week deployment, American and Japanese pilots work and train side-by-side every day.

"Daily mission briefs are tailored to individual pilots, and we give specific instruction to each pilot as required," said Major Schafer. "Once we learn what they were capable of performing, we focus on certain aspects of the air-to-air refueling mission," he said.

"When not briefing, flying or debriefing, we talk about the differences in our militaries and discuss tactics," said Major Schafer. "They often want to hear about our deployments around the world, and what it's like to fly in different countries."

International training missions coordinated between U.S. and Japanese forces have increased since 2005. In late 2005, meetings between the U.S. secretaries of state and defense, and the Japanese foreign and defense ministers, yielded an agreement determining the alliance between the two allies would continue indefinitely. U.S. and Japanese agencies then decided military actions, including training, would be coordinated more closely.

"The JASDF are very receptive to our instruction, and want to learn as much as possible, which makes the experience interesting and worthwhile for all those involved," said Major Schafer.

Pilots from the 2nd and 95th Fighter Squadrons return from Naha Air Base, Japan, April 26.