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AGE supports mission from ground

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ashley Maldonado
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment flight maintains more than 500 pieces of equipment used on the flightline to troubleshoot jets and other mechanical units used around the base.

These Airmen work on F-16CM Fighting Falcon engines and air compressors as well as the equipment used to fix them, such as generators and bomb lifts.

“We provide equipment for everyone and everything,” said Airman 1st Class Fabiola Barba, 20th EMS AGE technician. “We provide equipment for the aircraft. We provide some equipment for people who are working outside, like floodlights and heaters. If someone is looking for someone to fix something that is similar to another piece of equipment, they look for us.”

The AGE flight inspects and repairs all equipment entering their work center to include generators, bomb loaders and other pieces of equipment needed to complete flightline operations.

“We end up finding problems in the middle of an inspection, and that’s when maintenance comes in,” said Senior Airman Dom Allen, 20th EMS AGE technician. “So, we’ll have to fix the problems that we find. That way when it goes back to the line, it’s good to go. You won’t have any problems in the future. Everything we do in AGE is preventative maintenance. We are trying to prevent problems in the future.”

Team Shaw’s AGE Airmen accomplish their mission for flights and squadrons across the base, including the 20th EMS munitions flight, the Air Combat Command Viper Demo team, and all over the flightline to the 77th Fighter Squadron, 55th FS and 79th FS.

“There’s a quote, or slogan, if you will: ‘No air power without ground power,’” Allen said. “Basically, when the planes go up in the air to do their mission, everything starts on the ground. Everything that’s on the ground is supporting the aircraft. So, if you don’t have equipment that’s on the ground to help the aircraft get into the air, they’re not getting into the air properly in order to fulfill their mission. That’s why I think AGE is so important.”