LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, VA.  – The Air Force’s first William Tell air-to-air competition in eight years takes flight at Tyndall AFB Panama City, FL Nov. 8 – 19. 

William Tell 2004 will test aircrew performance in the air dominance and air sovereignty missions, while evaluating cold/live-fire weapons employment and the tactics executed.  The meet also includes weapons loading, maintenance and weapons’ director competitions.

The two-week event will showcase the air-to-air capabilities of F-15C units representing four major commands and the Air National Guard.  Participating units are listed below:

• Air Combat Command:  71st Fighter Squadron from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, VA.

• Air Education and Training Command:  95th Fighter Squadron from the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall AFB, FL.

• Air National Guard:  123rd Fighter Squadron from the Oregon ANG’s 142nd Fighter Wing in Portland, OR.

• Pacific Air Forces:  19th Fighter Squadron from the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB, AK.

• U.S. Air Forces in Europe:  493rd Fighter Squadron from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, UK

This year marks the 50th anniversary of William Tell.  The competition is named after the legendary Swiss archer, and has been a biennial competition that has encouraged the most challenging air-to-air scenarios since 1954.  The meet was placed on hold the past eight years due to military operations tempo and contingency requirements. 

Although operations tempo remains high with Air Force members supporting the Global War on Terror, William Tell planners hope resuming the event will help foster the exchange of tactics and better prepare Airmen for combat operations, said Lt. Col. Edward Nagler, William Tell director.   

“We are very excited about re-energizing and modernizing this competition.  There will be new scenarios incorporated in the competition to represent the wide-spectrum of Air Force operations today.” said Nagler. 

Members of the 64th Aggressor Squadron based at Nellis AFB, Nev., will serve as “adversaries” for the first time.  Other changes include the aircraft being equipped with short-range, medium-range and long-range weapons and aircrews will be evaluated on their response to the threats in day and night scenarios, Nagler added.

 “This competition has left its roots as an air intercept event to become an air superiority event,” he said.

William Tell is sponsored by Headquarters Air Combat Command based at Langley AFB.  

 Air Education and Training Command

The team that receives the highest number of total points from Profiles I through IV, Weapons Director, Maintenance, and Weapons Load competitions. The total possible points per team is 35,000.  

TOP TEAM - PaCAF: 19th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, AK

Each Weapons Director (WD) team consists of two directors. The maximum points that a WD team can achieve for the competition is 12,500: 4,000 for Profile I, 2,000 for Profile II, 4,000 for Profile III, and 2,500 for Profile V.

Maximum competition points that each individual Weapons Director can achieve is 8,500: 2,000 for Profile I, 1,000 for Profile II, 4,000 for Profile III and 1,500. Each WD will start with the maximum points in each profile. If required, penalty points will be deducted for each profile as it is executed as defined in the William Tell 2004 Official Rules.  

TOP SCOPE: acc- Capt. Daniel Wrazien, 71st FS, 1st FW, Langley AFB

Maintenance teams are judged daily on maintenance procedures, aircraft performance, and standards compliance and serviceability. Total points that may be earned in this category is 2,500 per profile for a total of 12,500 points for the meet. Discrepancy penalty assessments will occur during specified vulnerability periods except for maintenance-related safety violations.  

EVENT WINNER: ANG - 123rd Fighter Squadron, 142nd Fighter Wing, Portland, Or.

The weapons load competition consists of two evaluated static munitions loads. Each element is authorized one, three-member competition weapons load crew which will participate in one of the loads. There is a possible 5,000 points in this competition. Each element/team will begin with the maximum points possible. Deductions will be taken for deviations, violations in explosive safety, technical order compliance, unreliable system or munitions, ground safety or competition rules, and other areas as defined in the William Tell 2004 Official Rules.  

EVENT WINNER: PaCAF- 19th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, AK

 a. Objective: Accomplish element lane defense during a specified vulnerability period. Elements will be tasked with sorting bandits and friendlies, and target using beyond-visual-range (BVR) rules of engagement (ROE) in the minimum amount of time.

b. Profile Description: Elements will CAP behind a CAP limit line (CLL) until adversaries trip the commit. Adversaries will consist of four 4th generation fighters that will be separated by altitude, distance and/or time on the ACMI range. Friendly aircraft will also be in the area. The adversary and friendly aircraft will fly a repeatable four-ship tactic.

c. Scenario: Political constraints restrict employment behind a CLL until adversaries trip commit criteria that must be directed by GCI. Once adversaries have tripped the commit criteria, fighters are free to employ at will within their lane. Sources suggest that a pre-strike sweep is planned for this lane during the vulnerability period. In addition, friendly reconnaissance aircraft may be egressing from enemy territory.  

PROFILE WINNER: PaCAF - 19th fs, 3rd Wg, Elmendorf AFB, AK

a. Objective: Employ element tactics against a single MQM-107E subscale target to live-fire an AIM-120A and an AIM9M shot.

b. Profile Description: Profile II will be flown as a two-ship with two (2) chase aircraft. One shooter will employ a pre-merge, front aspect AIM-120A and the other shooter will employ an AIM9M WVR. Each aircraft will be configured with one (1) missile.

c. Scenario: An element splits off from the larger “war” that is raging and targets a single entity (a subscale drone). This profile closely resembles a wartime scenario when a “first shot” fails to bring down the enemy and a second shot is required. In this case, the two shots will be coming from each of two fighters in a single element.  

PROFILE  WINNER: ANG - 123rd FS, 142nd FW, Portland, Or.

a. Objective. Employ as a 4-ship to defend a lane against multiple adversaries. Sort bandits and friendlies, and target using beyond-visual-range (BVR) rules of engagement (ROE), in the minimum amount of time.

b. Profile Description: Four fighters will maintain a CAP pattern within a specified vulnerability window in a predestinated area. Fighters will sort and target multiple 4th generation adversary aircraft and interdiction aircraft that will be separated in altitude, distance and/or time on the ACMI range. Fighter tactics and GCI level of control are at the discretion of the flight lead.

c. Scenario: Fighters will takeoff as a team in order to meet their vul time as printed in the daily schedule. Friendlies are politically restricted from flying north of the CLL until start of the vul window. Intel reports a strong threat of adversary interdiction aircraft accompanied by 4th generation fighter adversaries. It is vital that no interdiction aircraft be permitted to reach south of the CLL.  

PROFILE  WINNER: ACC- 71st FS, 1st FW, Langley AFB

a. Objective: Intercept and employ sequential gunnery attacks to achieve maximum total hits on the Banner in a limited amount of time.

b. Profile Description: The WT chase and tow aircraft (Lear jet) will takeoff as required to meet the team’s vulnerability window. Teams will launch as a 4-ship under the control of Wetstone (Team WDs will not compete in this profile). The WT chase will rejoin and pass holding point, bullseye and shoot container information to the Team. Each element will then fly a COMBAT BANNER intercept. This will be a two (2) minute timed event, with clock starting when the tow aircraft initiates its turn at the merge and makes the “cleared to fire” call. Wetstone will make the “KIO” call at 2 minutes elapsed time.

c. Scenario: A civilian, non-air-to-air threat aircraft is approaching the coastline of Florida and you have no missile ordnance and a limited amount of ammunition. After shadowing the target, HHQ direction is received to eliminate the threat aircraft in minimum time.  

PROFILE WINNER: ANG - 123rd FS, 142nd FW, Portland, Or.

a. Profile Description: Elements will hot-cock two primary and one spare aircraft prior to the start of an assigned 20-minute vulnerability window. At the start of the vulnerability window, all team personnel will be positioned 50 yards from the hot-cocked aircraft. At a pre-determined time within the vul window, the Senior Profile Five Judge will sound a klaxon horn, directing the Team to go to “runway-alert” status. The team will be graded on how fast they go from hot-cocked to runway-alert status. After a pause to accomplish normal checks and coordinate airborne elements of the profile, aircraft will be directed to taxi to the runway. Timing evaluation will resume as the element is scrambled for takeoff to intercept an unknown rider. Timing will stop when the element intercepts the unknown aircraft/adversary and reports the adversary’s physical description to their team WD.

b. Scenario: Units are tasked with standing up 4 aircraft to be placed on alert status at Tyndall AFB in support of an increased threat level in response to anticipated airborne terrorist activity along the CONUS coastline. Alert aircraft will be scrambled as two-ships.  

PROFILE WINNER: AETC- 95TH FS, 325TH FW, TYNDALL AFB FL