HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. -- Located over 2,000 miles from their parent wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, the 491st Attack Squadron trains world-class MQ-9 Reaper aircrew.
Situated at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, New York, the 491st ATKS is composed of over 70 active duty MQ-9 sensor operators, pilots and maintainers.
Being geographically separated allows the 491st ATKS to help better prepare MQ-9 sensor operators and pilots for different environments in which they may operate.
“The location provides a unique training opportunity to MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Fred Hunt, 491st ATKS director of operations. “Although we support the 49th Wing’s mission here, we provide training in harsher weather and allow our students to train in a civilian airport which gives the aircrew experience in how to handle these obstacles.”
To further the mission of the 49th Operations Group of providing national security by utilizing remotely piloted aircraft, the Airmen from the 491st ATKS must navigate many obstacles, such as the often-busy runways of the Syracuse Hancock International Airport to launch MQ-9s.
“Civilian aircraft take priority over our MQ-9s, so we have more challenges to navigate than a standard Air Force base,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Williamson, 491st ATKS flight line expediter. “However, they are very accommodating to us.”
Alongside navigating runway restrictions, Syracuse weather can pose an obstacle to student aircrew. Unlike Holloman, there are often more torrential conditions and harsh winters.
“The pilots and sensor operators get valuable experience flying through the icy and rainy conditions,” said Hunt. “When we get new pilots and sensor operators, the weather conditions here help to better prepare them for real-world scenarios.”
The continuation of training in all conditions is vital to the production of combat-ready MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators. Alongside the MQ-9 aircrew, the 491st ATKS maintainers are essential in keeping aircraft operational for students.
Compared to most maintenance shops that fall under a maintenance group, maintainers from the 491st ATKS fall directly under the attack squadron.
“Here, we don’t differentiate between what are the 491st ATKS and 174th Attack Wing aircraft,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Williamson, 491st ATKS flight line expediter. “At the end of the day, If an aircraft needs maintenance, we’re all out there working on it.”
The aircrew and maintainers from the 491st ATKS are essential for producing world-class MQ-9 aircrew for the Great Power Competition.