Task Force sizes up Grand Forks for UAS mission

  • Published
  • By Capt. Mike Chillstrom
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The base moved one step closer this week to making the Unmanned Aircraft Systems mission here a reality by hosting a task force to work out the details of the UAS beddown process. 

The Site Action Task Force was lead by members from Air Combat Command, but also included experts from Air Mobility Command, the Department of Homeland Security and the North Dakota Air National Guard. 

"Our mission is to work out the details of the [UAS] beddown," said James Ellis, SATAF team chief. "The devil is in the details when you look at all the requirements of bringing in a new weapons system." 

The SATAF brought experts from the fields of civil engineering, logistics, operations, communications and manpower. After collecting data and information this week, the functional experts will develop reports and work on their specific action items, ensuring the overall program plan for the UAS transition is on track, Mr. Ellis said. 

ACC's working to make sure its plan works with AMC's plan to transfer KC-135s, in what Mr. Ellis describes as a "chess game." 

"It's kind of like when you move: you want the moving truck to show up when you're ready. You also want the place where you're moving to be ready so when the truck shows up, so you can just move right in. That's what we're working on here." 

Tentatively, MQ-1 Predators are slated to start arriving in March 2009 and RQ-4 Global Hawks in Fiscal Year 2010. All UAS assets should be completely in place by FY 2013 or FY 2014. 

"Everything with the SATAF visit has gone very well," said Maj. Michael Goodwin, wing plans and programs office. "We're all working to ensure a smooth transition from an AMC mission to an ACC mission."