Two ROKAF personnel perform an integrated combat turn for a ROKAF fighter on the flightline, a task they excelled at in SABRE SPIRIT 96.

Cooperative engagement between U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces has long been a key to maintaining peace and security on the Korean peninsula. Members of both nations' air forces put that cooperation on display during Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) SABRE SPIRIT competition in July 1996.

Held at Osan Air Base, ROK, the competition tested the combat armament assembly and aircraft servicing skills of Korean and American participants. Taking part were PACAF teams from Misawa and Kadena Air Bases (AB), Japan; Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force Bases (AFB), Alaska; Osan and Kunsan ABs, ROK; and Andersen AFB, Guam. The 19th Fighter Wing from Jung Won Air Base represented the ROK Air Force (ROKAF).

Andersen and Jung Won Air Bases teamed up and combined points because Andersen has no assigned fighters. The USAF's Andersen team competed in the combat armament assembly category while the ROKAF's Jung Won personnel performed combat aircraft servicing.

The match was a good one. "They attended our events and we [attended] theirs. The support was obvious, and it helped our morale," said ROKAF Capt. Park Jon Hoo, leader of the Korean team.

"They were very professional and extremely enthusiastic," added 1st Lt. George Salyer, officerincharge of Andersen's team. "I'm sure the relationship we developed here will be built on in future exercises like this."

Similar ROKU.S. interaction has taken place for four decades, and has helped maintain a fragile ceasefire with north Korea. The result is a close relationship with the ROK and a contribution to stability throughout Northeast Asia. Other military interactions between the two nations have included exercises TEAM SPIRIT, ULCHI FOCUS LENS, and FOAL EAGLE.

SABRE SPIRIT competition tested the two air forces' abilities to conduct Integrated Combat Turns (ICT), which are vital wartime skills involving building and loading bombs and missiles, as well as receiving, rearming, and relaunching fighter aircraft.

The Combat Armament Assembly competition category included three skill areas:

· Munitions buildup, which required teams to assemble 21 MK82 lowdrag bombs in 40 minutes or less using the Rapid Assembly Munitions System.

· Combat resupply and assembly, which required teams to break out and assemble 18 MK82 highdrag bombs and eight CBU87 cluster bombs, then load them on munitions trailers.

· Missile breakout and loading, which called for teams to remove eight AIM9M missiles from containers, do minor assembly, then secure them to munitions trailers in 20 minutes or less.

The second major competition category, Close Air Support (CAS), consisted of conducting ICTs. In both categories, judges scored teams on speed, safety and procedures.

"This competition is very tight and critical. Every technical order, step and procedure is critical to success," said ROKAF Master Sgt. Chang Seop Lee, the ROKAF team's Noncommissioned Officer in Charge.

The Koreans won first place in the ICT category. Their Andersen teammates captured the missile breakout and assembly award. The Eielson AFB F16 and A10 team was the overall winner.

More valuable than awards and titles, however, was the sharing of techniques and a search for procedural improvements. "That's the whole reason for SABRE SPIRIT," said Chief Master Sgt. (CMSgt.) Howard DeMotta. "That's how our techniques improve and changes are made to our technical orders and published guidance."

CMSgt. DeMotta is the weapons functional manager at Headquarters PACAF, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, and Deputy Project Officer for SABRE SPIRIT 96. He said conducting the event at Osan AB had distinct advantages.

"The reason for having it at Osan is because this is a frontline location for Pacific Air Forces. Additionally, this is where our folks get a good understanding of the obstacles they could face in a realworld environment. In a time of conflict, a monsoon isn't going to stop us from putting munitions together and servicing an aircraft for a combat sortie. We need Osan's type of weather to stay sharp."

Capt. Park concluded, "This was an excellent chance for us to share experience and knowledge with the American airmen...we've never had so much experience with our American counterparts. It was interesting to see how they did things [in terms of] the use of resources and facilities."