Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center

The mission of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center (AATTC) is increasing the warfighting effectiveness and survivability of mobility forces. The AATTC is entering its fourth decade of providing advanced tactical training to airlift aircrews from the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe, Air Force Special Operations Command, United States Marine Corps, and 18 allied nations. Through a Total Force Initiative, AATTC also provides Tactics Analysis, Tactics Development, and Electronic Warfare Development for the AMC, ANG, & AFRC mobility community. AATTC is also the office of primary responsibility for AMC's tactics improvement process. The AATTC functions as a clearinghouse for gathering and disseminating airlift tactics information. Since 1983, the AATTC has hosted an annual tactics symposium in St. Joseph, MO. Attendees from all branches of the Department of Defense as well as government contractors and numerous allied nations are represented. Serving as the cornerstone for aircraft tactics, the AATTC has maintained a reputation as the mobility air force's "Tactics Center of Excellence" since its inception.

The AATTC offers a nine-day Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course, formerly known as the Aircrew Course. The academic phase is designed to familiarize the crewmember with the basic principles and tactics for operating an airlift aircraft in a hostile environment. Platform instruction is one method used to teach the basic and advanced concepts to crewmembers. The ground training includes briefings on Air/Ground Operations, Low Level Employment, Low Level Awareness Training, Low Level Dynamics, Structures, Enemy Air/Ground Threats, Tactical Formation Maneuvering, and other "need to know" areas. Additionally, instructors constantly reinforce the learning objectives during mission planning and in-flight. This, in conjunction with the simulated hostile environment scenario flying sorties, will generate the familiarization required to promote mission success and increase the individual crewmember's ability to survive actual hostile environment missions.

The flying training consists of two primary phases, The Eastern Phase (Missouri) and the Western Phase (Arizona). The Eastern Phase consists of two low level tactical missions during which, the aircrews are scheduled to airdrop one actual Heavy Equipment (HE) load and one actual High Velocity Container Delivery System (Hi-V CDS) bundle. The Western Phase consists of two Low Level Awareness Training (LLAT) sorties, one Dissimilar Defensive Maneuvering (DDM) sortie, two Low Level Navigation Training (LLNT) sorties and one Hostile Environment Training (HET) sortie. Actual airdrops and actual combat off/on loads (COL) are also incorporated into the Western phase. During both phases the aircrews fly against simulated SAM and AAA ground threats, as well as actual air threats. Audiovisual personnel record the evasive maneuvering of the response to the simulated threats on videotape which is used to provide feedback to the aircrews during debriefings.

The AATTC also trains qualified USMC and Special Operations Forces (SOF) aircrews. These SOF aircrews include MC-130 Combat Talon, AC-130 Spectre gunship aircrews and Combat Search and Rescue HC-130 Air Rescue Service . The AATTC also trains USAF and AFRC C-17 aircrews, C-130(H)(J) aircrews from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, as well as C-160 crews from Germany, G-222 crews from Italy AND C295 crews from Spain.

The AATTC course is listed in AFC 36-2223 (USAF Formal Schools Catalog) as AATTC - Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center and is assigned PDS code 6S4.

The purpose of this course is to educate the student regarding night vision goggle (NVG) design considerations and operational applications. In the process, the student should gain an appreciation of their limitations as well as their capabilities. The goal of this course is for the student to acquire knowledge that will enhance the level of learning during simulator and/or flight training. The goal from all NVG training is to prepare the aircrew to fly the NVG mission safely and effectively.

Airland - This training program is designed to allow C-130 single ship NVG operations flown in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) to reduced overt or covert lit airfields using normal landing and takeoff procedures. Assault procedures are not used. Aircraft must be equipped with NVG lighting or modified with a temporary NVG lighting harness. The academic phase of the NVG Airland Course addresses C-130 specific considerations, NVG mission planning, and route study. These include a complete review of the AMC Airland Checklist, thoroughly planning all aspects of NVG Airland (departure, arrival, go-around, random steep, etc.), calculation of the airfield MSA and when to use it and identification of all potential obstacles with specific means of avoidance. We stress that the crews determine a go-around point for all landings. We also focus on interior and exterior aircraft lighting, cultural lighting, and CRM. Ground Operations is also incorporated in the Airland Operations Training program.

The flying training is conducted at our^[who?] Arizona location and consists of two sorties. Emphasis in-flight is on crew coordination, checklist usage, and a discussion on emergency procedures. The profiles include multiple NVG Takeoffs/Landings, Visual Straight-Ins, NVG ARAs, NVG Go-Arounds and Random Steeps.

NVG Assault Operations - The AATTC has received approval from Air Mobility Command (AMC), National Guard Bureau (NGB), and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) to conduct NVG Assault training. The training involves both ground and flight training and covers the following areas:

• Objective area analysis
• Altitude Planning
• Tactical Approaches
• Energy Management
• Tactical Considerations
• Crew Resource Management (CRM) Techniques
• Emergency Procedures

• • • This course is no longer offered by the AATTC***