MAFEX exercise announced (May 23, 2012)

Nellis AFB has announced the date of this summer's MAFEX (May 23, 2012)
www.nellis.af.mil...
MAFEX is an exercise that takes place just east of the Tonopah Test Range at the Keno airstrip.
www.lazygranch.com...

The exercise consists of large cargo planes flying very low. They either land at the Keno airstrip or drop cargo. Smokey Sams are shot at the planes, and the planes set off countermeasures.
www.lazygranch.com...

In the past, the day of the event was a big secret. This is the first time I've ever seen MAFEX announced in advance. It generally shows up on notams as a LFE (Large Force Exercise).

Skip down to Keno for the GPS trail to get to the view spot.
www.inplanesight.org...
This is strictly 4WD with offroad tires. You don't need much traction, but some areas have very sharp rocks. You need tough tire and some clearance.

It is a bit odd that no tankers participate in MAFEX. Nowadays many tankers are on REACH flights (i.e. cargo instead of refueling).

reply to post by gariac

5/2/2012 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The Air Force Weapons School will simulate a "forced entry" Mobility Air Forces Exercise over the Nevada Test and Training Range May 23, 2012. Locals should expect increased noise as a result of increased aircraft activity in North Las Vegas.

The exercise, involving 22 C-17 and 29 C-130 aircraft and 820th RED HORSE Squadron civil engineers, simulates a seizure of a landing site in hostile territory. The goal of the exercise is to teach the skills needed to integrate mobility aircraft into operations with land forces, air and space capabilities, intelligence gathering operations and tactical strike forces embodied in aircraft like the F-22, F-15 and F-16.

The aircraft will conduct simulated and actual low-altitude drops of airborne forces on a drop zone. After the drops, aircraft will land on a nearby dirt airstrip and recover the paratroopers. All operations are coordinated and tracked by orbiting Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.

Members of the media are invited to photograph mass landings of mobility aircraft May 23 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on the Nellis flightline.

In addition, interviews with leadership and participants will be provided during the afternoon of May 22, allowing for writers and broadcasters to get a complete understanding of the exercise.

MAFEX is the Weapons School's capstone sortie for C-17 and C-130 weapons instructor school students. Following successful exercises, they are "patched-in" to the elite class of weapons school graduates. These graduates are responsible for working with all services to employ Air Force weapons platforms during enemy engagement effectively.

For more information about MAFEX, the Weapons School or to RSVP for either media event, please contact the Nellis Public Affairs Office at (702) 652-2750 no later than May 18.

www.nellis.af.mil...

FYI, Airborne Warning and Control System is the AWACS plane. It probably will not be visible during the exercise.

If planes are returing around 1PM, You would probably want to be on the hill near Keno around 11:30AM or earlier. Figure on the trip from the ET Highway to the view spot taking at least an hour. The trail is in the previous post.