Lakenheath Airman lauded for "cutting edge" efforts

  • Published
  • By Verla D. Davis
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England (USAFENS) --  An Airman assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing here was recently lauded as one of the first-ever recipients of the Air Intercept Missile -9X Cutting Edge Award.

Staff Sgt. Antonio Guerrero, a precision guided munitions crew chief assigned to 48th Munitions Squadron, was named as one of the a 2004 cutting edge award winners by the Naval Air Systems Command Air-To-Air Missile Program Office April 11.

“I couldn’t have won this award without the team here at RAF Lakenheath,” said Sergeant Guerrero. “I am still in shock.”

Sergeant Guerrero was one of only two individuals selected from a group of Sailors, Airmen and Marines who made vast contributions to this new short range air-to-air missile.

According to Sergeant Guerrero the AIM-9X Sidewinder is an air-to-air missile used by the F-15C model aircraft employed with RAF Lakenheath’s 493rd Fighter Squadron. It is a short-range, heat-seeking weapon to be employed in both offensive and defensive counter-air operations.

Sergeant Guerrero was involved in every aspect of field introduction of the AIM-9X and is responsible for identifying a number of improvements.

One of the improvements contributed by the staff sergeant involved changing the way the umbilical cable and block connected the missile to the aircraft.

Both were separate parts and had to be joined together then connected to the aircraft.

However, because the block was moved frequently the umbilical cables would separate it and eventually break.

Breakage could have resulted in a shortage in the missile due to its lost connection.

Sergeant Guerrero brought this to the attention of Raytheon Missile Systems designers, and they in-turn redesigned the umbilical cable and block combining the parts into one piece.

“In the future there won’t be anymore separations of the installation cable from the block,” he said.

Sergeant Guerrero’s attention to detail and ingenuity aren’t the only reasons he’s a recipient of this award, said Capt. Oliver Ulmer, 48th MUNS maintenance operations officer.

“Staff Sgt. Guerrero is truly a dynamic non-commissioned officer,” said the captain. “His excellence in all we do attitude is the example that molds our young troops and it shows. I am very lucky to have a shop full of people that have his attitude and drive.”

Sergeant Guerrero will be officially recognized for his efforts during the 2005 AIM-9X Integrated Logistics Support Management Team meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., May 10-11.