An air dominance turkey shoot

  • Published
  • By Vesta Anderson
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 325th Operations Group and 325th Maintenance Group personnel will be showcasing their skill in one of the most anticipated competitions here: the 2007 Turkey Shoot, Nov. 6 through Nov. 15. 

This legendary competition, which has been held at Tyndall Air Force Base for over a decade, takes on a new structure in how pilots, controllers, maintainers, and intelligence personnel conduct business throughout the contest, where one team will prove themselves as top winners in air dominance.
"This year, three Composite-Force teams will be pinned against each other," explained Capt. Jonathan Gration, 325th Operation Support Squadron Chief of F-22 Weapons and Tactics. 

According to the 325th OG commander, Col. William Mott, "The flying portion of the competition will be a composite-force competition with assets from each squadron working together to solve a tactical problem. These teams will be composed of members from different squadron flights, allowing squadron flights to compete against each other." 

For example, during the live portion of the competition, the A-flight 10-man team will be comprised of two A-flight pilots pulled from the 2nd Fighter Squadron, 43rd Fighter Squadron and the 95th Fighter Squadron; two weapons controllers and a weapons technician from A-flight in the 325th Air Control Squadron; and one intelligence personnel from one of the fighter squadrons. 

In addition to the composite-force teams, the competition expands to include the aircraft maintainers and the 325th ACS pilot-simulation technicians. These are the only portions of the competition where squadrons will be competing against each other. 

The Turkey Shoot is two-fold; there is a simulation portion and a live flying potion. During both the simulation and the live competition, teams will manage large-force exercises where a large number of aircraft will interact in an intricate air picture of threats and targets simulating a combat environment. During simulation, each squadron will fly an offensive and defensive counter air mission. During the live portion of the competition, each composite-force team will fly one defensive counter-air mission. 

The Turkey Shoot also includes a weapon and tactics training test, which all competitors must pass. 

The live portion of the Turkey Shoot is slated to begin Nov.13. The 2007 Turkey Shoot awards ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 16, where the coveted Top Gun award will be presented to the overall air-dominate pilot. Other Top Gun awards will be bestowed upon winners in the air controller, maintenance and intelligence team categories.