ALPENA, Mich. - U.S. Airmen with the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Sioux City, Iowa, trained to operate the Real Time Information in the Cockpit system on the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft during Exercise Northern Strike 24-2 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.
The RTIC data link system can receive and transmit mission-critical information such as friendly forces, targets, and enemy threat locations on the avionics display in the aircraft cockpit.
The KC-135R’s primary role is to provide refueling support to other military aircraft, but now the RTIC system will enhance the Stratotanker’s abilities through data link connectivity in the sky. With the RTIC systems Link 16 capability and J-REAP Alpha, the aircrew no longer has to be within earshot of the battlefield to receive or transmit information via radio.
“We’re finally going to be an extra piece in that link picture,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Tyler Kludt, a KC-135R Stratotanker pilot with the 185th ARW. “It’s a huge help for us because we can now finally be a part of that picture and see the actual fight instead of just hearing it.”
Before the RTIC system was installed, the KC-135R’s aircrew relied heavily on command and control assets from ground stations and other air platforms to relay threats in the area, locations for refueling aircraft and critical mission information.
“At this point now, we would be able to actually send messages back and forth, not using our radios,” said Kludt. “We just send data link messages; helps us with staying more secure. And we can also go out and do more missions, whether it be air refueling, get tasked to go somewhere or identify threats.”
The KC-135R’s ability to see the digital battlefield makes it a greater asset in conflicts.
The 185th ARW came to the Northern Strike exercise to train on the RTIC system with other units and learn to use it properly.
“We finally get to go out and see a big network picture,” said Kludt. “Being here at Northern Strike to finally be able to use it and show my crews how to use it; it’s going to help a lot more with the buy-in and getting involved in using it.”
Kludt said the 185th ARW will use the RTIC system to interact with other air units from Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio, along with the ground station working during NS 24-2 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.
The RTIC system with Link 16 and J-REAP Alpha capabilities gives the KC-135R Stratotanker the ability to see across the world. For the KC-135R, using the RTIC system will help answer the problem of dispersed operations as the U.S. Air Force moves forward with Agile Combat Employment.
Northern Strike 24-2, one of the Department of Defense’s largest reserve component readiness exercises, is taking place at Michigan’s National All Domain Warfighting Center Aug. 3-17 with over 6,300 participants from 32 states and territories. Northern Strike is the premier reserve component training event designed to build readiness with joint and partner forces in all domains of warfare.