Air Force 'weaponeers' observe munitions production

153rd Intelligence Squadron Tour 01 — 1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Senior Master Sgt. Derrick Phillips (left) and Senior Master Sgt. Jeffery Weaver from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 153rd Intelligence Squadron (Targeting), 188th Wing, from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, check out the expl... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

153rd Intelligence Squadron Tour 02 — 2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Brad Cochran from McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, Okla., explains the cast-cure explosives mixing process to members of the 153rd Intelligence Squadron (Targeting), 188th Wing, from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, during their ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

153rd Intelligence Squadron Tour 03 — 3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Airmen from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 153rd Intelligence Squadron (Targeting), 188th Wing, from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, watch explosives workers clean an industrial mixer in a bomb production facility at McAleste... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

153rd Intelligence Squadron Tour 04 — 4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Jerry Lovell, bomb and mines supervisor, leads airmen from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 153rd Intelligence Squadron (Targeting), 188th Wing from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, past a series of MK 84 2,000-pound general pur... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

153rd Intelligence Squadron Tour 05 — 5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Airmen from the Arkansas Air National Guard's 153rd Intelligence Squadron (Targeting), 188th Wing, from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Ark., watches as Mary Cruz puts the finishing touches on an MK 84 2,000-pound general purpose bomb at ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

McALESTER ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT, Okla. -- Weaponeers from an Arkansas Air National Guard unit that determines when and how munitions are employed against adversaries received an inside look into the manufacture of munitions, here, July 26.

As part of its annual training, 19 members of the 153rd Intelligence Squadron (Targeting), 188th Wing, from Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, called the "weaponeers", visited the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant to learn more about the munitions and the organization that produces them.

During their two-hour visit to MCAAP, the 153rd IS watched the load, assembly and pack of the MK 84 2,000-pound general purpose bomb. They also visited the X-ray facility to observe how digital imaging is used to ensure quality control.

The 153rd IS provides targeting, geospatial and signals intelligence analysis that enable worldwide precision engagement specializing in foreign space systems. It specializes in adversary targeting and is trained in the employment of air to ground munitions.

"We're known in our unit as the weaponeers, so seeing this stage of the process is interesting," said 2nd Lt. Thomas Phalen, flight commander, 153rd Intelligence Squadron.

"Before the tour, many of us were unaware of the fabrication process for the munition and how much importance is placed on quality control."

The 153rd IS was activated in 2013 as part of a reorganization from the 188th Fighter Wing to the 188th Wing.

MCAAP is one of 14 installations of the Joint Munitions Command and one of 23 organic industrial base facilities under the U.S. Army Materiel Command.