51st CBCS supports Arctic exercise Published June 12, 2015 By Jenny Gordon Robins Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- When the only active duty combat communications group in the Air Force gets ready to deploy a squadron known for its swift communications readiness, it's no small feat ensuring the right equipment gets to the right place at the right time. In fact, behind the scenes, it takes hours of detailed planning, packing and shipping. In the case of Exercise Amalgam Dart which was conducted in Alaska and Canada's Northwest and Nunavut territories, the 5th Combat Communications Group's 51st Combat Communications Squadron prepped several pallets of basic networking equipment weeks in advance. During the subsequent week long stint in the great white north, several members participated in one of the Arctic's largest exercises which involved more than a dozen aircraft and 300 American and Canadian personnel. According to Canadian news reports and the Royal Canadian Air Force, the purpose of the exercise was to train American and Canadian service members in aerospace detection and defense, with a North American Aerospace Defense Command force flying further north than ever before to practice high Arctic procedures. "Everything we needed to support the end user, we brought with us," said Master Sgt. Gary Hutcheson, who led the 51st CBCS team which traveled to Canada. "When we deploy, we can set up a tactical communications squadron - all the same services you have on base - for a complete network in a deployed environment." The 51st CBCS has two communications packages that can support up to 3,000 users each. The packages include a power plant, complete with several generators used to power their own communications equipment. To clarify, they're not postured to power an entire base, but rather their own equipment and extensions. When a particular customer needs those extended services, the 51st CBCS supports those capabilities until that customer can set up its own devices. As part of the exercise, multiple forward operating locations as well as U.S. Air Force bases hosted personnel and aircraft, including F-15 Eagles - like those maintained at Robins - Canadian CF-18 Hornets, and Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers and F-22 fighter jets. According to RCAF, the exercise provided valuable field training involving multiple NORAD regions and the deployment of air assets. The intention was to deploy aerospace detection assets to the northern limit of the area of responsibility, deploy air assets and sustain military operations from FOLs, and maintain the highest level of readiness of its bi-national force. "Amalgam Dart demonstrated that NORAD is both flexible and scalable, and that we can quickly move Canadian and U.S. fighters to forward locations to operate in the north and high Arctic," said Adm. William E. Gortney, NORAD and United States Northern Command commander. "The defense of our homelands is at the core of what we do, just as it has been since NORAD was formed 57 years ago." NORAD is a bi-national American and Canadian command that provides maritime warning, aerospace warning and aerospace control for the U.S. and Canada. "We're extremely happy with the results of Exercise Amalgam Dart," said Maj. Gen. David Wheeler, 1 Canadian Division/Canadian NORAD Region commander. "We challenged the Canadian and U.S. personnel under NORAD to push the boundaries of our operations. This exercise speaks volumes to the capabilities of great people dedicated to the defense of our nations." NORAD is a bi-national American and Canadian command that provides maritime warning, aerospace warning and aerospace control for the U.S. and Canada. "We're extremely happy with the results of Exercise Amalgam Dart," said Maj. Gen. David Wheeler, 1 Canadian Division/Canadian NORAD Region commander. "We challenged the Canadian and U.S. personnel under NORAD to push the boundaries of our operations. This exercise speaks volumes to the capabilities of great people dedicated to the defense of our nations."