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(Continued from page 51) Lt. Col. Brett “Zero” Waring was in charge of the planning and execution of this competition. In a USAF interview, he explained that the groups were tasked to ‘mass fires’ within a 10-minute window, with more than 60 individual targets and aim points. They had four tactical, overlapping threats to contend with that were appropriate for an opposed Close Air Support scenario that represented modern and legacy air defense systems (SA-15, 2S6, Roland II, and ZSU-23-4). Every unit successfully engaged approximately 20 targets within this window. The winners successfully targeted more than 30 while demonstrating an effective stand-off survivability with all manners of precision and accurate classes of weapons.
After an extremely challenging day, the pilots of the Air Force Reserve's 47th Fighter Squadron won the competition again.
PARTICPATING UNITS
Visiting Units:
303d FS, Whiteman AFB MO: 10 A-10Cs
107th FS, Michigan ANG: 5 A-10Cs
163d FS, Indiana ANG: 5 A-10Cs
104th FS, Baltimore ANG: 4 A-10Cs
74th FS, Moody AFB GA: 4 A-10Cs
75th FS, Moody AFB, GA: 4 A-10Cs
Davis-Monthan AFB Units:
47th FS, 4 A-10Cs
357th FS, 4 A-10Cs
354th FS, 4 A-10Cs
AATC Test Squadron, 4 A-10Cs
Units participating but not sending aircraft:
76th FS, AFRC, Moody AFB GA
358th FS, Whiteman AFB MO
25th FS, Osan AB Republic of Korea
2016 HAWGSMOKE RESULTS
Top Overall Pilot - Capt David "Gnome" Knighton, 47th FS, Davis Monthan AFB
Top Tactical Team - 25th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
Top Conventional Team - 47th FS, Davis Monthan AFB
Top Overall Team - 47th FS, Davis Monthan AFB