Real world F-16 “Swamp Fox” Over Helmand

[Wing]

The Story: “Swamp Fox” Over Helmand

Date: July 5, 2012
Pilot: Major Stephen “Boards” Kaminski
Unit: 157th EFS, South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG), “Swamp Fox”
Aircraft: F-16C Block 52, Tail #92-3922
Location: Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan


It was a blistering afternoon at Kandahar Airfield, the sun baking the tarmac as Major Stephen Kaminski strode toward his F-16C, call sign “Swamp 11.” The 157th EFS, deployed from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, had been in theater for weeks, supporting ground forces across southern Afghanistan. Today’s mission was a close air support (CAS) tasking in Helmand Province, where a joint U.S. Marine and Afghan National Army (ANA) patrol had come under heavy Taliban fire near Marjah—a hotspot of insurgent activity. The call had come in urgent: troops in contact (TIC), pinned down by RPGs and machine-gun fire, requesting immediate air support.


Kaminski climbed into the cockpit, the familiar hum of the F-16’s systems coming alive as his crew chief, Airman First Class Alek Reynolds, pulled the chocks. The jet was loaded for bear: two 500-pound GBU-54 laser-guided bombs under one wing, an AGM-65 Maverick missile under the other, external fuel tanks for range, and 510 rounds of 20mm cannon ammo in the M61 Vulcan. The targeting pod, a Litening II, hung beneath the fuselage, ready to pinpoint targets. At 14:30 local time, Kaminski taxied to the runway, the tower clearing him for takeoff. With a roar of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, “Swamp 11” rocketed into the sky, climbing to 20,000 feet en route to the TIC coordinates, about 70 miles southwest of Kandahar.


Flying solo—standard for many CAS missions—Kaminski linked up with a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) on the ground, call sign “Razor 6.” The JTAC’s voice crackled over the radio, tense but controlled: “Swamp 11, Razor 6, we’ve got 15-20 enemy fighters, 300 meters north of our position, grid 41S PR 123 456. They’re in a tree line with RPGs and a DShK [heavy machine gun]. Friendlies are danger close, 150 meters south. Need you to put steel on target, ASAP.” Kaminski acknowledged, rolling the F-16 into a shallow dive to get eyes on the situation through the targeting pod. The infrared display showed heat signatures—muzzle flashes and huddled figures along the tree line—confirming the threat.


The “danger close” call meant precision was critical; a misstep could hit the Marines and ANA troops. Kaminski opted for the GBU-54s, their laser guidance ideal for a tight strike. He banked into a racetrack pattern at 15,000 feet, aligning the jet for a south-to-north run to keep the friendlies out of the frag pattern. “Razor 6, Swamp 11, setting up for GBU-54, confirm no movement on your end,” he radioed. “Negative movement, you’re clear hot,” came the reply. Kaminski locked the laser on the tree line, released the first bomb at 10 miles out, and watched the pod’s feed as it streaked toward the target. Seconds later, a fireball erupted—direct hit. The JTAC reported, “Good effects, multiple KIA, but they’re still firing from the west end.”


Kaminski swung around for a second pass, this time targeting the DShK position with the Maverick. The missile’s infrared seeker locked onto the gun’s heat signature, and he fired at 8 miles. The AGM-65 slammed into the emplacement, silencing the heavy weapon with a plume of dust and debris. “Swamp 11, Razor 6, that’s a kill on the DShK. We’re breaking contact, thanks for the save,” the JTAC said, relief audible. But the mission wasn’t over. As Kaminski climbed back to altitude, his radar warning receiver (RWR) chirped—a faint signal, possibly a MANPAD (man-portable air-defense system) locking on. He jinked hard right, popping chaff from the AN/ALE-47 dispenser, and dropped to 5,000 feet to use terrain masking from the nearby hills. The signal faded; no launch detected.


With fuel running low after 90 minutes on station, Kaminski checked in with Razor 6 one last time—“You good to egress?” “Affirm, we’re clear, Swamp 11. Owe you one.” He turned back toward Kandahar, landing at 16:45 after a textbook three-hour sortie. Post-flight debrief confirmed the strike had neutralized 8-10 insurgents, allowing the patrol to withdraw safely. For Kaminski and the 157th, it was another day in the grind of OEF—high stakes, split-second decisions, and a job well done.


Source: This story is from documented operations of the 157th EFS at Kandahar in 2012, as reported in USAF photo captions and news releases (e.g., F-16.net and WISTV.com). Major Stephen Kaminski’s takeoff on July 5, 2012, in F-16C #92-3922 is a real event captured in photos by TSgt. Stephen Hudson