The 97th Intelligence Squadron Logistics Branch, Offutt AFB, Neb., earned the 1999 Air Force Maintenance Effectiveness Award.  

The award reflects how the maintainers carried out their world-wide mission of flying on and fixing complex electronic computer systems on every RC-135 aircraft in the Air Force inventory.

The 130-member logistics branch hosted two functionally supported maintenance activities, the 610th Intelligence Flight (AIA Reserve) and the 20th Intelligence Squadron. They also satisfied taskings from the 55th Wing, joint force commanders, national agencies and the 67th Intelligence Wing; achieving a system effectiveness rating of 98 percent on all RC-135 reconnaissance operations missions and training sorties worldwide.

The 97th Logistics Branch was the first to use the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System in the All-Service Combat Identification Evaluation Exercise Team exercise.

This effort for RC-135 Rivet Joint, Combat Sent and Cobra Ball directly supports operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Desert Fox, Nobile Anvil, Pony Express, and multi-service exercises such as Green Flag and the Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise.

The past year hasn’t been easy for the men and women of the 97th Logistics Branch. They overcame changing technology and a dwindling experience pool to once again prove their excellence.

Despite a great influx of three-skill level technicians who volunteered to fly, retirements and first-term airmen separations decreased the number of RJ qualified air maintenance technicians from 33 to 20.

A 38 percent deficit in five-skill level technicians and three-skill level manning at 183 percent (the largest influx in RJ history) demanded balancing training requirements with a brutal mission OPSTEMPO exceeding 7,000 TDY days.

Logistics management developed an innovative training processes to ensure trainees were prepared for and capable of contributing to the 97th’s worldwide mission schedule. The unit cut training time of newly assigned airmen by 66 percent while raising Career Development Course test scores well above average.

The AMT superintendent coordinated with Air Education and Training Command to provide an early recruitment presentation to trainees attending technical school at Keesler.

By scheduling AMT volunteers for flight physicals and survival training enroute to their permanent duty station, their training was accelerated by seven months.

The Logistics Branch material management processes reduced deployment preparations and supply computer-processing time by 75 percent while maintaining 100 percent equipment accountability.

In Saudi Arabia, technicians maintained complex computer systems and electronic equipment on RC-135S/U/V/W aircraft and several associated ground and mobile systems. Members accomplished flight line and in-shop repair on more than one-thousand line replaceable units.

Technicians perform extensive tests and modifications on mission equipment, verifying successful system operation through full-scale run-ups and complete ground recoveries. They also provide training on new systems to other AIA units through the Maintenance Training Center. Logistics personnel maintain the Ground Data Processing System which directly supports RC-135 aircraft in pre-mission preparation and post-mission processing.

97th IS AMTs are AIA’s primary field interface with Air Combat Command and Air Force Materiel Command. They perform critical in-flight maintenance during RC-135 operational reconnaissance missions.

AMTs reduced the time between delivery of a new system and its deployment from two months to 14 days by providing qualified technicians and training their 488th Intelligence Squadron counterparts during Operation Noble Anvil.

Deployed technicians, evaluators and instructors developed training plans, job qualification standards, in-flight systems checklists, aircrew evaluation materials and aircraft recovery and isochronal phase maintenance checklists for recently fielded versions of the RC-135.

These were implemented as 67th IW standards to provide uniformity when AMTs from various units fly together in support of Operations Southern Watch and Noble Anvil.

To standardize AIA system status reporting to their ACC counterparts, 97th IS technicians developed a Mission Essential Subsystem Listing and exported it to sister units.

The branch also provided flight line, classroom and in-flight training during initial deployment of the most modern RJ platform to Operation Noble Anvil and provided qualified AMTs for sorties.

Two mobile systems operated and maintained by 97th IS technicians to support RC-135 operations are the Initial Capabilities Module and the Deployable Maintenance System. Operation Northern Watch was the first time the DMS and ICM were sent overseas.

Between the first and second DMS deployments to Operation Northern Watch, the depot upgraded it to the latest aircraft configuration. 97th IS technicians identified discrepancies and locally repaired 75 percent. The branch provided technicians to upgrade, maintain and operate both systems at the deployed locations and made both deployments successful.

They also played key roles in fielding other modified systems including Combat Sent and Cobra Ball aircraft, the Rivet Joint Mission Trainer and the Ground Data Processing System.

Technicians traveled to the RC-135 depot at Det. 2, in Greenville, Texas, and assisted engineers with installation and diagnostics of the RJMT system, a complete mock-up of the current configuration on the RC-135 Rivet Joint platform, prior to delivery. This system realistically simulates actual operational missions. Knowledge gained there transferred directly to training and mission success after the system was fielded.

Maintenance Training Center instructors research, develop and teach courses to train and certify 390th IS and 488th IS technicians for AIA, Air Combat Command and joint forces logistics personnel stationed worldwide. Courses offered focus on maintenance of all AIA systems on board RC-135 aircraft, communications links for those systems and the GDPS. Logistics personnel maintain the state of the art CRITICOMM Support Facility and Sensor Heart research and development systems. 97th IS senior AMTs manage the maintenance effort for all AIA RC-135 systems in Southwest Asia.

The branch developed a logistics homepage on the unit intranet that allows easy, one location access for most commonly used reference materials and many important information documents, such as the monthly maintenance plan, additional duty rosters, operating instructions, the quarterly maintenance summary and technical order accounts management processes.

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