Ammunition assembly in Alaska - "It really was the bomb"

At the start of the Pacific Skies 24 exercise series, 33 Tactical Air Wing trains very-low-level flying and target acquisition in Alaska. Before that, however, "concrete eggs" must be prepared in Anchorage. The ammunition assembly unit does this together with its allies. Other stops during Pacific Skies are: Japan, Hawaii, Australia and India.

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The forces use the unconventional term "concrete egg" as a visual description of the practice ammunition for Tornado combat aircraft. Two different bombs are used for the German aircraft (first leg of the deployment). The GBUGuided Bomb Unit-54 with a weight of approx. 250 kg and the GBUGuided Bomb Unit-24 with approx. 1,000 kg. Instead of explosives, the practice bombs are filled with concrete. Nevertheless, they can be used to precisely train target acquisition and target engagement.

The final assembly of such practice bombs is a task of the ammunition assembly unit - in Alaska this was performed by 7 German together with 15 USUnited States soldiers. The various components of the ammunition could only be assembled on site on 13 and 14 June 2024.

Why are the bombs prepared at the exercise location and not already in Germany?

The reason for this are safe transport regulations. The parts of the bombs must be shipped in their original stowage containers. Therefore, it is essential that the preparations for an exercise with bombs are done in the host nation. 
In order to practice the necessary target engagement scenarios and thus enable the pilots to obtain a certification, training must be conducted in suitable training areas. Important factors are the size and geography of the environment - Alaska provides ideal conditions in both aspects. Therefore, it is extremely important to train abroad and above all with NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization partners. Acting together is crucial, also in order to be prepared for a real emergency. 

In order to supply sufficient ammunition for the exercise, the work of the ammunition assembly unit begins already months in advance. About six months before the exercise, the servicemen and women began to prepare and transport the materiel by sea and air. 

Together with NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization Partners

The soldiers are able to prepare several bombs per hour. Such piecework can be ensured by regular training, which takes place every two to three months. The basis for this is the transport, assembly and loading concept (Transport-Montage-Beladung-Konzept, TMBK), which is applied at home and abroad. However, training in Germany is usually conducted with smaller bombs, since the training areas are not always designed for larger ammunition.

This makes it all the more important to practice abroad – together with our NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization partners.

But how was the cooperation between Germans and Americans?

"Perfect. There is no other word for it. It really was the bomb." A clear answer from Senior Master Sergeant Dirk, subunit leader of the ammunition assembly unit of 33 Tactical Air Wing. He and his team have already conducted several exercises with the USUnited States Air Force, but the training in Anchorage was a unique experience for him. Thanks to the support and hospitality provided, they encountered an excellent working environment. The atmosphere was not only professional but also cordial. For instance, their hosts organized a joint lunch with pizza for everyone. This created a quick sense of comradeship, which together with the passion for their job facilitated the mission. For the locals it was the first time working with German soldiers, but it proved to be a convincing experience. 

For both sides the cooperation was a great success. Although both nations use slightly different approaches, they would like to cooperate again in the future. This confirms Senior Master Sergeant Dirk’s presumption: "No matter where you go in the world. Ammunition experts understand each other straight away."