Three hundred and fifty Airmen to participate in readiness exercise at New Castle Air National Guard Base

  • Published
About 350 Airmen from the 166th Airlift Wing, Delaware Air National Guard will participate in a local Air Force readiness exercise next week.

The active portions of the exercise will begin on Monday Sept. 9 as Airmen launch four C-130 aircraft in the initial response portion of the exercise, and on Tuesday Sept. 10 when a simulated "war" will occur with three aircraft launched. The aircraft will fly in the local area and return to base.

On Tuesday Sept. 10 base members will engage in activities to detect various simulated air or ground threats and defend the base against them. Personnel will train wearing individual protective equipment, worn to protect against nuclear, biological and chemical threats. Occasional releases of colored smoke will occur, with a number of loud announcements coming from base-wide loudspeakers. Other loud noises may be heard to simulate attacks or attack warnings.

Note: No live munitions will be used.

The exercise has been in the planning stages for months and will also help prepare the wing for upcoming inspections. The exercise is not related to any specific or current real-world events.

166th Airlift Wing Commander Col. Mike Feeley said, "This exercise will test our people and processes and help prepare us for real-world humanitarian or wartime contingencies. Various exercise scenarios are purposely designed to create a 'fog of war' to limit information and awareness, so that we have to rely on each other and adapt to changing situations."

The Delaware ANG has 1,100 members, and continually deploys personnel and subordinate units around the globe. This release is in the public domain, and any part may be used as written.

Delaware Air National Guard: Celebrating 67 years of Citizen-Airman service to our state and nation, 1946-2013

- 30 -

News media are invited to attend the Tuesday, Sept. 10 portion of the exercise from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but must coordinate ahead of time for approval and base access. Media representatives must enter the facility through the New Castle Air National Guard Base entrance, 2600 Spruance Drive, New Castle, DE 19720.