VIDEO + STORY
129th Rescue Wing partners with the Air National Guard and Air Reserve Command Test Center to conduct Hybrid SATCOM testing in Sentry Aloha

Story by Tech. Sgt. Stefany Leyva
California National Guard Public Affairs

June 20, 2024

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawai‘i – Several military aircraft were postured within various locations around the island of Oahu for exercise Sentry Aloha hosted by the Hawai'i Air National Guard's 154th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

One of the aircraft, an HC-130J Combat King II, with the 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett Air National Guard Base, in Mountain View, California, participated in the exercise, particularly for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Hybrid Satellite Communication (SATCOM) testing, May 29 to June 12.

This was the first HC-130J Combat King II to successfully connect to multiple web-based systems while in flight and provided sustainable access to Department of Defense networks in contested, degraded, or operationally limited (CDO-L) environments.

Two of the many systems tested were the air defense platform Link 16 and the Combat Survivor Evader Locater (CSEL) system, which are critical joint service search and rescue infrastructures.

"The design of this system is inherently resilient against enemy electromagnetic warfare capabilities seeking to deny access to communications within the battlespace," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Alexander Brannon, director of the Combat Search and Rescue Division at the Air National Guard Air Reserve Command Test Center.

This test determined whether a reliable classified communications system could be established in flight. In practice, this would prevent communications from dropping out or being delayed between search and rescue personnel, whether in the air or on the ground. In short, a successful test has the potential to save lives.

For over twenty years, Sentry Aloha, a U.S. warfighting large force collaboration, has brought together the Air National Guard, the Department of the Air Force, and other Department of Defense agencies to enhance the synergistic effects of combat employment, and this year hosted approximately 1,060 participants and more than 40 aircraft from nine states.

"Our portion of the exercise brought in a team from the joint, total force and partnered with industry to make this test happen," said Brannon.

The air and ground teams working with the HC-130J comprised personnel from Georgia Tech Research Institute, R4 Integration, 129th Rescue Wing, Joint Communications Support Element, and the 613th Air Operations Center Personnel Recovery Coordination Cell.

As part of the system exercise, the 129th Rescue Wing team conducted several defensive combat air (DCA) trainings to evaluate emergent technologies and strengthen proactive and reactive response maneuvers.

"These tests aim to increase the survivability of the Isolated Person and recovery forces and enhance the Air Force’s ability to execute resilient-basing options through Agile Combat Employment," said Brannon.

Link 16 facilitates real-time transmission and exchange of tactical data among network participants. In parallel, the Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) System is predominantly utilized by aircrew and special forces in personnel recovery missions, enabling secure two-way near real-time data communications and precise military Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates.

"Not only will the HC-130J continue to execute the CSAR mission, but it will do so while increasing lethality within the battlespace through collaborative technologies,” said Brannon.

For this iteration of Sentry Aloha, the joint team conducted nine flying events, approximately forty-five flight hours, three CSAR scenarios, four defensive counter-air exercises, and twenty-four hours of ground testing.

"First and foremost, we could not have conducted this test without the enduring partnership with our 129th Rescue Wing leaders and the aircrew that sign up to fly these missions," said Brannon.

For those seeking a technical, in-depth analysis of the Hybrid SATCOM testing during Sentry Aloha, check out this article.