United States Air Force Expeditionary Center

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= United States Air Force Expeditionary Center


caption= United States Air Force Expeditionary Center emblem
dates=May 1, 1994 - present
country=United States
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branch=United States Air Force
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role=Education and Training
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garrison=Eighteenth Air Force
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commander1=Major General Kip L. Self [http://www.af.mil/bios/bio_print.asp?bioID=7830&page=1]
commander1_label=Current Commander
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The United States Air Force Expeditionary Center is the Air Force's Mobility School. Renamed the USAF Expeditionary Center in March 2007 after more than a decade as the Air Mobility Warfare Center, the Center consists of the "Air Force Mobility Operations School", "Expeditionary Operations School", and the "Air Mobility Battlelab".

History

From the [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/amwc.htm Air Mobility Warfare Center at Global Security.org] :

The "Air Mobility Warfare Center (AMWC)" was activated at Fort Dix, NJ on May 1, 1994, as a result of lobbying efforts by General Ronald R. Fogleman.

The center's purposes was to serve as the Air Mobility Command's single focal point for advanced education, training, and testing by consolidating the functions of seven geographically separated units. The Center’s Operations Division assumed the missions of the 1492nd Air Transportation Training Flight at Travis Air Force Base, CA; the Tanker Tactics Center at Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD; the Combat Aircrew Training School at Nellis Air Force Base, NV; and the Air Mobility School at Scott Air Force Base, IL (with its Operating Location Center at Fort Eustis, VA). Additionally, AMWC’s 421st Training Squadron (TS) took on the mission of the 314th Ground Combat Readiness Evaluation Squadron from Little Rock Air Force Base, AR. The 421st TS was redesignated 421st Ground Combat Readiness Squadron on December 1, 1997.

Integrated operational test and evaluation of the C-17 was conducted in four phases from May 1992 through June 1995. A three-year initial period of final operational test and evaluation commenced in June 1996, and was conducted by the Air Mobility Command (AMC), with management by the Headquarters Test and Evaluation Directorate at Scott Air Force Base, IL. Test execution was handled by the Air Mobility Warfare Center's Flight Test Squadron (33 FLTS) at McGuire Air Force Base, NJ, utilizing a detachment (Det 1) stationed at the test location, Charleston Air Force Base, SC. Additional operational test and evaluation and subsequent report preparation was transferred to the 33 FLTS at McGuire Air Force Base, AMC's parent test organization.

The 33rd Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) was activated under the AMWC on October 1, 1994, and assumed the heritage of the 33rd Troop Transport Squadron and the flight test mission of the Air Mobility Center at Charleston Air Force Base, SC. The 33rd FLTS was AMC’s only Flight Test organization, managing more than 85 on-going tests.

With the return of CONUS-based C-130s to the Air Mobility Command in April 1997, AMWC also assumed responsibility for the USAF Combat Air Delivery School, located at Little Rock Air Force Base, AR. This organization manages and delivers the C-130 Weapons Instructor Course and evaluates the combat readiness of air mobility participants for the Joint Readiness Training Center exercises.

The latest addition to AMWC, the Air Mobility Battle Lab activated on May 4, 1998. One of seven battle labs Air Force-wide, this new organization is tasked to explore innovative air mobility operations, command and control, logistics, and sensor fusion concepts for airlift, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, and mobility support, and to rapidly measure their potential for advancing the global reach core competency. Utilizing modeling and simulation techniques, the Battle Lab champions the evaluation, development, and exploitation of doctrine, technology, defensive systems, and tactics to support the air mobility objectives of force mobility and combat delivery.

USAF Mobility Operations School

The USAF Mobility Operations School is the Air Force Center of Excellence dedicated to prepare every graduate to perform their mission by educating, training and exercising Department of Defense personnel in the full range of expeditionary operations. Using both resident and Web-based instructional media, the MOS offers 57 courses, including the Director of Mobility Forces Course and the Advanced Study of Air Mobility Intermediate Developmental Education and graduate program. Other courses cover topics in operations, tactics, intelligence, transportation, maintenance, aircrew resource management, and command and control from both a global and theater perspective. In addition, the MOS sponsors a range of exercises, including the futures war game GLOMO, and the mobility piece of Joint Readiness Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Finally, the MOS is the USAF EC's focal point for instructor and curriculum development and student logistical support.

USAF Expeditionary Operations School

The USAF Expeditionary Operations School is the Air Force Expeditionary Combat Support Center of Excellence dedicated to educate, train and exercise expeditionary combat support personnel in deployed operations. The EOS is responsible for developing and conducting Air Force Exercise Eagle Flag and the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course. EOS includes a resources and plans section, and has operational control of the 421st Combat Training Squadron. Overall, EOS offers 15 expeditionary combat support and logistics training courses. On average the EOS trains more than 4,500 Airmen every fiscal year.

Air Mobility Battlelab

The Air Mobility Battlelab continuously explores and rapidly demonstrates innovative ideas that improve the ability of Mobility Air Forces to execute their distinctive capabilities. The overarching objective is to generate high payoff initiatives with minimum cost and investment that can be rapidly integrated into today's Air Force. The Air Mobility Battlelab motto is "Transforming Today's Technology into Solutions for Today's Warfighter."

Overall, the USAF Expeditionary Center's mission is to serve as the Air Force's premier organization for expeditionary innovation, education, training and exercises. The USAF Expeditionary Center delivers innovative expeditionary combat support concepts and capabilities for Air Mobility, Air Force and Joint missions. Through education, training and exercises, the USAF Expeditionary Center prepares forces to effectively accomplish combatant commander and USAF missions.

The Center's vision is to be the Expeditionary Center of Excellence preparing Air Mobility, Air Force, Joint and Coalition forces to perform their mission by providing the benchmark for integrated training and exercises, education and innovation. The Center holds a specific focus also on combat logistics support, or CLS, opening an air base, and air mobility-unique competencies.

The Center was first opened as the Air Mobility Warfare Center on May 1, 1994, and officially received its mission on October 1, 1994. At first opening, the Center operated the Phoenix Raven course for Security Forces and the Phoenix Readiness course that trained more than 20 Air Force specialties in expeditionary combat support. The Center has now grown to be the Air Force's leader in expeditionary training.

References

* [http://www.amc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=7593 United States Air Force Expeditionary Center]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/amwc.htm Air Mobility Warfare Center at GlobalSecurity.org]