OnBase: Nellis Air Force Base
Home Of The Fighter PilotBy Julie Dawson
Spring 2006
Nevada has it all: glitzy city life, entertainment, outdoor recreation, lots of wide open spaces, more than its share of UFO sightings... and it all comes together at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.
Located eight miles northeast of downtown Las Vegas, Nellis was first used in the 1940s as a military training facility for training Army Air Corps aerial gunners. From its humble beginnings as a dirt runway and a single operations shack, the base has grown to cover more than 11,000 acres and now employs some 10,000 military and civilian personnel.
Known as the "Home of the Fighter Pilot," Nellis pilots train for advanced air combat aviation under Headquarters Air Warfare Center (AWC), a critical part of the Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). The AWC is comprised of the 57th Wing (which includes the USAF Weapons School, U.S. Air Ground Operations School, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab and the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron - "The Thunderbirds"), the 99th Air Base Wing (which supplies Support, Logistics and Medical) and the 53rd Wing, which reports from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The AWC at Nellis is home to the largest and most demanding advanced air combat training mission in the world. Crews do not come to Nellis to learn how to fly. At Nellis, they learn to become the best combat aviators in the world.
Additional tenant commands are housed at Nellis Area II, located on the northeast edge of the main base and home to the 57th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, the 896th Munitions Squadron and the 820th RED HORSE Squadron. The 820th owns the distinction of serving as one of only three active RED HORSE Squadrons in the U.S. These squadrons include their own medical, food, supply, motor transport and maintenance support, and they are capable of self-sufficient operation for extended periods of time.
Long-Distance Warriors
Every type of aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory is utilized for training at Nellis, and exercises commonly involve joint operations with air and ground units from the other U.S. forces and those of allied nations. Training and testing go hand in hand, and the Air Warfare Center conducts operational testing and tactics development and evaluation using the newest technology in weapons systems.
Some of the newest technology keeps pilots on the ground while still putting planes in the air. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab (UAVB) consists of a Combat Applications Division; Integration Division; and an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division. The UVAB partners with resources in industry, academia and government to find efficient and effective solutions to the challenges of successful Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operations.
The success of the Predator UAV in Afghanistan and Iraq has ensured that the Battlelab will stay busy. After an unarmed Predator was used to spot Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2000, modifications were made to attach two Hellfire missiles, which since have been used with great success. Predator aircraft used in the Middle East are launched and landed by deployed ground troops, but controllers at Nellis actually take over once the plane is in the air. Using video screens with live images from a camera mounted on the Predator, the pilot (a former fighter pilot) guides the plane using videogame-type controls and launches missiles, while the sensor operator controls the camera and laser target for the Hellfires. Radio and video communications link troops on the ground, regional commanders and even the Pentagon during Predator flights.
The future of UAV technology in military applications seems assured, and the Nellis Battlelab already is working to make the next generation of unmanned planes a reality. Cost effectiveness ($4 million for a Predator versus $354 million for an F-22) and safety for the people involved (no pilot to be shot down) make UAVs an appealing alternative to traditional fighter planes.
UAV and RPA testing occurs at the 3.1-million-acre Nellis Range, located northwest of the base. An additional five million acres at the Nellis Range Complex is shared with commercial aircraft. Part of these areas comprises the Nevada Test Site, which was used from 1951 to 1992 for atomic testing. Those days are gone but, given all the unusual testing activity in the area, it is no surprise that Nevada State Route 375, which passes to the east of these ranges, is dubbed the "Extraterrestrial Highway."
Las Vegas seems an appropriate place for the Air Force's flashiest showoffs, the Thunderbirds. With plenty of good weather and lots of open space for year-round practice, the desolate Nevada desert is ideal for aerial training (as the Navy has also concluded, housing the Blue Angels at Naval Air Station Fallon in northern Nevada). Based at Nellis since 1956, the Thunderbirds fly slightly modified F-16C fighter jets at more than 70 events per year throughout North and Central America.
This demanding schedule has the team performing nearly every weekend from mid-March to mid-November. Both the pilots and ground crew applicants must submit the recommendation of their Commanding Officer and prove they possess the highest professional and personal standards before being considered for one of the highly competitive positions.
Nellis is at the forefront of Air Force training and technology, and its location makes it a highly desirable duty station. Whether visiting or calling it home, there's a certain excitement at being part of the world's busiest air combat base. But keep your eyes open for those "extraterrestrials."
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Julie Dawson is an editor for WordCrafters and teaches the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society's "Budget for Baby" program at the Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, CA.
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Nellis AFB At A Glance
Education: On base, child development centers offer preschool and childcare programs, while school-aged children attend Clark County public schools and many private schools off base. The Nellis Education Center offers courses through four colleges and universities in a variety of academic, vocational and professional fields. The courses are available to retired and active military, civil service/non-appropriated employees, and family members. Community College of the Air Force uses the Center as a campus, awarding an Associate in Applied Science corresponding to an enlisted member's Air Force specialty code.
Recreation: No place beats the Las Vegas Strip for shows, activities and attractions. For those wanting a taste of high culture, visit the Bellagio Hotel and its Gallery of Fine Art, which exhibits original works from famous artists. Motor sports fans will appreciate the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Outdoor enthusiasts flock to the Grand Canyon and Colorado River, a variety of state and national parks, Spring Mountain ski area (located on Mt. Charleston) and the Lake Mead/Hoover Dam recreation area. On-base facilities include a bowling alley, movie theater, library, auto center, RV park, outdoor recreation department, Olympic pool, golf course, gun club, fitness centers, arts and crafts center, and various classes and activities at "The Dock" community center.
Housing: On-base housing is popular but not plentiful. Enlisted personnel can expect to wait two to four months for a two- or three-bedroom unit, and up to six or eight months for four bedrooms. A six- to 12-month wait typically is required for officer housing. Fortunately, there is no shortage of off-base housing, and the housing office maintains a list of available housing options.
Medical: The Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital is a joint venture between the Air Force and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The full-service inpatient and outpatient hospital is administered and staffed by the Air Force, though the VA oversees and provides care for up to 52 of the 114 available beds.
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