Maintainers assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here are charged with keeping Bagram's F-15E Strike Eagles soaring in skies even after more than three decades of flying.

To achieve this amazing mission, maintainers rely on teamwork between many specialties from Airmen charged with backshop duties, such as ensuring replacement parts are in supply; to aerospace ground equipment technicians who contribute their unique skills to the process.

"Typically, F-15 pilots fly an average 2,000 hours every month accumulating over 13,000 hours during a six-month deployment rotation here," said Senior Master Sgt. Allen Daniels, 455th EAMXS assistant superintendent.

For every 400 hours of flight, the fighter must be completely broken down and rebuilt for a periodic phase inspection. During the phase inspection crew chiefs work around the clock removing panels, conducting inspections, looking for signs of excess wear and tear, and finally putting it all back together again to make the aircraft fully mission
capable for another 400 hours.

The process takes from seven to 10 days back at home station, but the pace at Bagram is much faster and the jets are returned to blazing down the runway in five days.

The phase inspection begins with the dock chief who reviews the aircraft's maintenance form looking for any delayed discrepancies or time compliance technical orders that need to be corrected or accomplished prior to reassembly of the aircraft.

"We are given a timeline dictated by the technical orders and engineers of what needs to be done to the airframe," said the 12-year-veteran. "It is my responsibly to ensure that all maintenance done on the jet is done properly and in a timely manner."

Next, inspectors look over the aircraft using x-rays and ultrasonic technology to determine if there is any structure damage to the jet from the aggressive flying style required for combat sorties.

"We do our process of inspecting the jet prior to any work being done by the maintainers," said Staff Sgt. Zena-Lee Rabsatt, a 455th EAMXS non-destructive inspector deployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. "Our inspections prior to maintenance let the crew chief know if there is anything wrong with the aircraft not easily seen by the naked eye, and our post inspections ensure everything is corrected and the aircraft is ready for flight."

After the NDI process is complete, phase maintainers start taking off panels and replacing parts, but they continue to rely on support from other agencies on the base like sheet metal, egress and metals technicians to get the job done.

"I am also responsible for contacting other agencies if we need anything," said Sergeant Hoyt. "We all have to coordinate our times together and figure out when the other agencies will be able to get the scheduled work done."

Agencies such as aircraft structural maintenance look throughout the aircraft foreign object damage, cracks or damaged parts and hardware.

"The phase maintainers document everything found that is questionable for repair or
replacement, and from that documentation, we will inspect that area and determine what kind of repair we will do or replace the part that is damaged," said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Wildman, 455th EAMXS aircraft structure maintainer. "We work together from the beginning to the end."

In addition, technicians within the unit support the phase inspection with skills in areas such as the electric and environmental engineering, engine propulsion and avionics.

"We in the Propulsion Section are responsible for the serviceability and reliability of two Pratt and Whitney F100-220 engines. During an aircraft phase inspection, we methodically accomplish 52 work card inspection items per engine. In addition, we also conduct 100, 200, and 400 hour bore scope inspections; which identify and document serviceable damage on more than 1,200 internal engine compressor/combustion components. Finally, all time replacement items, that are due, are replaced, and operational check-outs are performed," said Tech. Sgt. Corey Harlan, 455th EAMXS propulsion maintainer. "All of this combined, ensures 100 percent serviceable for the power plant systems in each and every aircraft completing a phase inspection, and returning the air power to the fight."

While phase maintenance and rebuilding an aircraft requires a lot of work and teamwork it showcases what enables the Air Force to maintain air supremacy.

"When the aircrew gets in their seat, they know that they got a war-ready machine that is going to do the mission," said Senior Master Sgt. Allen Daniels, 455th EAMXS assistant superintendent.