Robins playing behind-the-scenes C2ISR role for mission in Iraq Published July 11, 2014 By Jenny Gordon Robins Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Robins is continuing to help provide air power globally to combat terrorism. According to recent news reports, due to the recent crisis in Iraq involving threats posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant militants, manned and unmanned aerial vehicles from the U.S. are providing security assistance to American personnel on the ground. American service members who have been sent to Iraq in recent weeks are conducting two separate missions, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby. There are now more than 600 personnel in Iraq, with some performing security assistance, while others are serving with assessment and advisory teams at two joint operations centers in Baghdad and Irbil. Manned and unmanned ISR flights have "increased sharply since the assessment first started from an initial 30 to 35 daily sorties, to about 50 now," said Kirby. What Robins is contributing to the fight is its program management of some of those same aircraft to ensure U.S. Air Force requirements are met and sustained without any issues. "Here at Robins we are responsible for all acquisition and sustainment to ensure that resources are available to perform any mission," said Alan Mathis, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center C2ISR Division deputy chief. Robins' reach can best be described as the behind-the-scenes support similar to that of any other program office. Basically, if you see remotely-piloted aircraft or UAVs such as the Global Hawk or the manned U-2 aircraft performing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, then you know your mission has been accomplished, said Mathis. "It's our job to make sure the support is there when it's called for," he said. "If we do our jobs right, then no one knows we're here." That support includes planning, programming, budgeting and program execution. Including Robins, there are more than 400 personnel across sites at Hanscom and Langley Air Force bases, who are directly responsible in supporting C2ISR activities. C2ISR mission includes -U-2 Branch support via a Contractor Logistics Support Program; -Joint STARS Branch which manages the Total System Support Responsibility Contract for E-8C JSTARS aircraft battle management; and -The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System, which is responsible for sustainment and modernization of its weapon system and management of the worldwide secure information technology support contract. DCGS sites provide intelligence data to agencies as needed, which can include materiel solution analysis, technology development and assessments, and network and infrastructure modernization.