'BoneWood Fury' large-force exercise trains 9th BS for upcoming deployment

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  • By 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The 9th Bomb Squadron participated Dec. 1-5 in Operation BoneWood Fury, a week-long exercise utilizing two different local military operating areas, seven Defense Department units, and one large-force exercise. On Dec. 4, Dark 47, a crew from the 9th BS worked a real-time scenario in the Lancer MOA: 

Hardrock 20 (JTAC): "Dark 47, Hardrock 20, it looks like one of our detainees is fleeing our position."
Dark 47 (B-1B): "Dark 47, contact on the mover."
Hardrock 20: "Roger, continue to follow the subject, we are sending out a runner."
Dark 47: "Dark 47 will comply."

"From the ground, a team of joint terminal attack controllers from the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron out of Fort Bragg, N.C., were able to use the real-time video feedback from the crew of Dark 47's Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod in order to direct the pursuer and eventually apprehend the fleeing subject," said 1st Lt. Kevin Johnson, 9th Bomb Squadron Weapons and Tactics. 

This was just one of the many scenarios presented to the crew as they worked hand-in-hand with members of the 14th ASOS in order to prepare the 9th BS for an upcoming B-1 deployment. 

Additionally, members of the 14th ASOS developed realistic close air support scenarios that forced the crews of the 9th BS to develop, practice, and fine-tune their tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrating the Sniper ATP into the types of operations they are most likely to encounter in a deployed scenario, the lieutenant said. 

"BoneWood Fury culminated in numerous lessons learned for all players involved," Lieutenant Johnson said. 

Developed by members of the 9th BS Weapons and Tactics shop, the overall goal was to prepare all involved units, not just the 9th BS, for their next round of deployments.
"That being said, the scenarios were planned to simulate the majority of those operations currently being flown in the AOR and thus were centered on CAS and CAS procedures," Lieutenant Johnson said. 

Over the week long stretch, F-16s, F-18s, AH-64D Longbows, JTACs from the 14th ASOS and the 9th ASOS, B-1Bs from the 9th BS, and an RC-135 all provided assets to make the training as realistic and valuable as possible. 

"Although not participating every day of the exercise, all of these units made their way to the Brownwood MOA in South East Texas Dec. 3 for a three-hour 'mini-war,'" Lieutenant Johnson said. "The scenario provided a chance for the JTACs to organize and sanitize their working airspace in an attempt to allow each aircraft involved to successfully engage and meet their objectives." 

This simulation also provided a platform for 9th BS pilot Capt. Brian Wallace to brief, coordinate, and debrief all players as a part of his upgrade to Mission Commander. 

"Operation BoneWood Fury was a great experience," Captain Wallace said. "We brought units from across the country together in our own 'backyard' and erected a very realistic training scenario. This was the best training I have had since returning from my last combat deployment." 

In all, the 9th BS sent 20 crews out to work with the JTACs from 14th and 9th ASOS, leading to nearly 27 flight hours of JTAC support. Over the course of the exercise, crews from the 9th BS received 22 nine-line taskings, dropped more than 36 simulated weapons, and destroyed 23 targets. 

"While not always engaging in a kinetic situation, crews were also tasked to complete various non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions to include convoy support, improvised explosive device detection, and high value individual escorts," Lieutenant Johnson said. 

By the time the smoke cleared that afternoon, the 9th BS had successfully reached a new level in pre-deployment training. With the combined efforts of the 14th ASOS and 9th ASOS, crews of the 9th BS were able to practice scenarios and situations that they are guaranteed to see again in a few months when they push out the door to the combat environment. 

"The training was demonstrated to be of the highest quality and will prove to be a critical staple for future B-1B pre-deployment preparation," Lieutenant Johnson said.