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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Joseph Thompson, 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew member, adjusts slack on an M-61A1 20mm multi-barrel cannon on an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 24, 2012. The AMUs armament Airmen must check the slack, if it is too loose or too tight the gun may malfunction when the pilot pulls the trigger. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Kenna Jackson/Released)
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Load Toads lock and load aircraft munitions
Posted 2/29/2012 Updated 2/29/2012
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by Airman Kenna Jackson
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
2/29/2012 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Editor's note: This is part four in a six-part series highlighting the 13th and 14th Aircraft Maintenance Units.
When an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot designates a target and fires a missile, it is the 13th and 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit's aircraft armament technicians who make it possible to turn a single-person passenger jet into a lethal, threat-fighting asset.
By testing and maintaining the aircraft weapons systems, from the computers on board to the actual ordnances themselves, these technicians make sure that when it comes time for the pilot to take out the enemy, death arrives without a hitch.
"Our job is to support the 35th Fighter Wing is mission by providing safe and reliable combat loaded aircraft," said Master Sgt. Brian Shurtleff, 14 AMU weapons maintenance NCO in charge. "We protect U.S. interests in the Pacific, the defense of Japan and everywhere we are tasked to operate."
Aircraft armament technicians are the only Airmen authorized on the flightline to load munitions on an aircraft.
The weapons crew loads a variety of munitions including high-speed anti-radiation missiles, air intercept missiles 9 and 120, bombs and rounds for the 20 mm cannon. Although weapons are usually loaded by hand, the heavier munitions are loaded onto bomb-lift trucks by using a three-man team. The team consists of a supervisor, 'one-man', tool movement coordinator, 'two-man', and a bomb-lift truck driver, 'three-man'.
"The 'one-man' is in charge of the checklists and makes sure everything gets done properly," said Senior Airman Marcy Thomassie, 14 AMU load crew member. "The 'two-man' is responsible for making sure we have all the tools we need to do the job. The 'three-man' drives the bomb-lift truck and makes sure the munitions are safe and ready for flight."
When not operating on aircraft, armament technicians dedicate time to training, maintenance taskings and additional duties. Weapons-load crew members are in one of the few Air Force careers that require Airmen to re-certify on a monthly basis. Every 30 days, they are required to take a Monthly Required Proficiency Loads exam, where they are tested on their knowledge and skills. In order to pass and remain certified, these load toads must demonstrate proficiency within a strict time standard and commit no more than three technical order errors.
In addition, the Airmen have quarterly load crew competitions between the two squadrons to build camaraderie and added proficiency.
"It takes a strong mentality to do this job," said Thomassie. "Mostly it takes focus. If you make one mistake, something could go wrong. Our job is dangerous but also vital to the mission because without missiles, the aircraft is just another airliner. When we are in war-time situations, it is our team who pilots rely on to take the enemy out."
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