今年八月, the Royal Jordanian 空军 (RJAF) attended their first Red Flag exercise in almost 30 years, 和S&K航空 (SKA) was right there in support. 在一个非常炎热的月份的大部分时间里, a small but dedicated team provided logistical support to 96 RJAF personnel and their F-16 Fighting Falcons aircraft at Nellis 空军 Base (AFB) in Las Vegas, 内华达.

“The Jordanian guys are a group of very independent, hardworking personnel.项目经理Matt Hellrung说.

Royal Jordanian 空军 (RJAF) pilots take a break in the shade at Red Flag operations on Nellis 空军 Base.

Matt lead a group of habitual Red Flag SKA employees; Dan Ferrell, 托尼·法恩斯沃思, 特里Lapka, 约翰西姆斯, 和理查德·佩蒂. Together, they have years of experience supporting Red Flag events for foreign air force personnel. Red Flag is an air-to-air combat training opportunity hosted by the U.S. 空军.

主要是, Matt and his team coordinated transportation, 住宿, 维护, and some recreational activities for the RJAF. This support freed the RJAF to focus on the Red Flag exercise and aircraft maintenance.

The mission began with Matt’s team supporting RJAF’s deployment to Las Vegas and Nellis AFB. 的年代KA team provided transportation for RJAF personnel arriving by military aircraft and also civilian commercial flights, on one occasion at the same time at opposite ends of town.The RJAF was lodged at the Platinum Hotel just off the Las Vegas strip. A breakfast buffet with a rotating menu was provided every day of the exercise. The Platinum’s location just off the strip provided for plenty of recreational opportunities.

Jordanian 空军 members are photographed loading the bus after a days work at Nellis 空军 base with a few pizzas to enjoy.

Daily transportation to and from Nellis AFB was also coordinated. 在内利斯空军基地, the SKA team kept the RJAF hydrated with daily supply runs of water, 佳得乐, and snacks; both at the pilot’s operations room and the maintenance hangar.

至于娱乐活动, SKA团队安排了晚餐预订, 购物之旅, 还有去胡佛水坝的短途旅行. Most of these activities and support occurred in just two and a half short weeks. Needless to say the tempo of the operations was high.

Members of the Royal Jordanian 空军 take some time for sightseeing, 包括这次胡佛水坝之旅.

Of course, interacting with men from such a different cultural space was a unique experience. Dan Ferrell relates this story of a dad just trying to find gifts for his daughters back home in Jordan:

“In the course of providing support for the Royal Jordanian 空军 I had occasion to take the RJAF to the store to buy comfort items and gifts when there was a break in their long day at Red Flag. 等着回酒店的时候, I was speaking with a Jordanian Warrant Officer discussing his purchases, he told me that he was the father of two twin girls and he had to buy presents for both. 如果礼物是一样的, 双胞胎会生气的, 如果它们非常不同, 他会被指责徇私舞弊.

“As I sat there laughing with him about the dilemmas of a father, I thought that with all the pain and devastation in the Middle East and the serious missions that this man will be asked to carry out in the near future, his fears are focused on how to put a smile on his little girls’ faces. The same quest any father, of any religion, race, creed or color would pursue. And that reminded me of something that often escapes us in a 24/7 world news cycle: Humanity is everywhere, 甚至是拉斯维加斯的沃尔玛停车场.”

的年代&K航空 support crew has many years of experience supporting RED FLAG training exercises for the USAF.

在S提供的支持下&K航空, the RJAF experienced a successful training event and got to enjoy some of the sights and sounds of Las Vegas. SKA’s team expressed an admiration for the professionalism of the Royal Jordanian 空军 and hope to work together with them in the future.