124th ASOS TACP airmen sharpen close air support skills at Razorback Range

Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Air Support Operations Squadron sharpened close air support skills at the 188th Wing’s Razorback Range at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center on April 20-21, training alongside a mix of total-force and contracted aircraft in a fast-moving, unfamiliar setting.

Unit leaders said the venue’s dynamic terrain and complex communications demands are designed to mirror the frictions of combat, forcing Joint Terminal Attack Controllers to refine tactics, techniques and procedures while coordinating with multiple players across air and ground.

“We’re the liaison between the ground force commander and the aircrew,” said Master Sgt. Tyler Herlihy, a TACP specialist with the 124th ASOS and the joint terminal air controller instructor for the Razorback exercise. “The nature of our job is very reactionary. So, we train to tackle complex, dynamic situations in simulated combat environments.”

Razorback Range allows ASOS teams from around the country to build interoperability and stress-test communications architectures, from initial network setup to managing multiple aircraft and ground elements at once.

“Situational awareness is key for JTACs,” said Capt. Roger Knizat, 124th ASOS flight commander. “We must be aware of not only our targets, but of all friendly air and ground assets on the battlefield. These exercises allow us to set up communications networks in different environments to induce the chaos that can accompany talking to multiple air and ground assets at once.”

Airmen also emphasized that while intelligence and mission planning frame the problem set, controllers must be ready to adapt under pressure.

“It’s important we do our due diligence and focus on mission planning and objectives, but the game plan often goes out the window on first contact,” Herlihy said. “When it comes to reinforcing fundamentals and having a good operational baseline, places like this range provide a great opportunity to prepare ourselves for those moments.”

Contingency planning remains central to the squadron’s approach as it trains for complex, multi-domain fights.

“TACPs are proficient mission planners,” said Knizat. “We work contingencies into our training and into our plans. You cannot anticipate when something will go wrong in the real world. If you have a well-developed plan and all players are on the same sheet of music, bombs will still make it to their target.”

Leaders said the 124th ASOS continues to invest in training at every level and in varied environments to ensure rapid, reliable support to ground forces when called upon.