1. Thule Air Base, Greenland Mission Brief
This briefing was taken from the 21 SW standard brief, which came from the 14 AF standard briefing.
Colonel Edward A. Fienga
Commander, 821st Air Base Group

2. Overview Mission, Vision Effect Space Superiority Core Values
Installation Operations
Installation Protection
Questions

3. TEAM THULE
MISSION
Effect space superiority through Air Force Core Values-based installation operations and protection
VISION
Transforming Space Operations, and its Support, at DoD’s Northernmost Installation
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Anticipation, Balance, Communication, Action (ABCA)
Mission First…People Always

4. 21st Space Wing (21 SW) 16 Weapon Systems 42 Units 27 Locations
Thule AB
Globus II Norway
Copenhagen DK
Clear AFS AK
RAF Fylingdales UK
Cavalier AFS ND
Cape Cod AFS MA
Beale AFB CA
Moron AB Spain
Holloman AFB NM
Dahlgren VA
Stallion AAF NM
Eglin C6 FL
Maui HI
21 SW HQ
Cheyenne Mtn AFS CO
Diego Garcia BIOT
Peterson AFB CO
Schriever AFB CO
16 Weapon Systems
42 Units
27 Locations
5 Countries
9 Time Zones

5. Effect Space Superiority
12th Space Warning Squadron
Primary – Missile Warning
Provide early warning of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and Sea Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) attacks against the continental United States and southern Canada
Secondary – Space Surveillance
Detect and track ESVs for CDR JFCC-Space

6. Effect Space Superiority
BMEWS Site I Radar System
240o azimuth
3.5o - 85o elevation
5000 km range
Thule’s location is uniquely suited to tracking polar-orbiting objects
Thule’s radar is uniquely suited to track while scanning

7. Air Force Satellite Control Network
POGO
LION
BOSS
PIKE
COOK
HULA
GUAM
REEF
“The Sun Never Sets On The AFSCN”

8. Resources & Capabilities
The systems at Det 3 support the three primary functions of Satellite Command & Control
Telemetry & Mission data
Data downloaded from a satellite
Up to 5 simultaneous data streams
State of Health and/or Mission Payload Data
Tracking Data
Knowing where a satellite is in orbit
100 miles to 448,000 miles above the Earth
Range accurate to < 2.5 meters
Range Rate accurate to 1 cm/sec
Commands
Data sent to a satellite
Real-time and Stored
Mission Payload and Bus

9. Core Values-based Installation Ops
821st Support Squadron
Airfield Operations
Civil Engineering
Communications
Logistics
Medical Support
Personnel Activities
Port Operations
Postal Services
Services (MWR) Activities
As you can see, the support Squadron is not very big. We have personnel and are divided into 8 Flights.
However, if you compare us to a state side base, we operate like a Miniature Support Group.
We support approximately 130 military personnel and over contractors. The top three are Greenland Contractors (GC), ARCTEC and Harris/Honeywell.
Team Thule is comprised of outstanding people.
Bottom picture is of our Raft Regatta race we had on the 4th of July this year at Lake Sparum by DV Quarters
System of Systems to Effect Space Superiority

10. Core Values-based Installation Ops
Airfield Operations
$40M multi-national ATC facility
10,000 foot runway
3,000+ annual aircraft ops
500+ international flights
255 Canadian Forces C-130s
Multi-national support
Weather forecasting and winter storm warning center
Refueling service ISO OIF, OEF (re-)deployments
Operation Boxtop resupplies Canadian Forces Station Alert in Northern Canada
Operation Brilliant Ice resupplies Danish Station Nord in Northeast Greenland
Thule AB supports various military exercises and scientific/research projects
Thule’s Airpower Advocates

11. Core Values-based Installation Ops
Logistics
Operation PACER GOOSE – Annual summertime resupply
2005 – short tons cargo and 14M gallons of JP-8
2006 – short tons cargo and 8.8M gallons of JP-8
Routine flights
L-100s (McGuire AFB NJ)
DC-8 (Baltimore’s BWI)
Air Greenland
Vehicle Maintenance
and Operations
Gets people, their stuff and other stuff in and out of Thule AB

12. Core Values-based Installation Ops
Medical Support
SERVICES AVAILABLE
Primary Care Clinic
24-hr Emergency Room
Emergency/Minor Surgery
Inpatient Care
Immunizations
Pharmacy
X-Rays
Laboratory
Dental (Limited)
GYN (Limited)
Smoking Cessation
WORKLOAD
Outpatients / year
Inpatients / year
Prevent. Health Exams 600 / year
Surgeries / year
Minor Surgeries / year
Operations (and a lot more) for Operations’ sake

13. Arctic Support Operations
…Installation Operations
Arctic Support Operations
Resupply Operations of BOXTOP, Brilliant Ice
Military Exercises
Scientific/Research
National Science Foundation
Danish Polar Center
Danish Meteorological Institute
Operation Julemand
Operation Boxtop resupplies Canadian Forces Station Alert in Northern Canada
Operation Brilliant Ice resupplies Danish Station Nord in Northeast Greenland
Thule AB supports various military exercises and scientific/research projects

14. BOXTOP & Brilliant Ice Canada Canadian Forces Station Alert Danish
Station Nord
Greenland
Nord is approximately 700 miles to Thule.
Alert is approximately 400 miles from Thule.
821st ABG

15. Operation Julemand
A Thule Air Base local fund-raising charity since 1959
Volunteers at Thule AB raise money throughout the year to purchase Christmas gifts for the Greenlandic children in the neighboring villages
Special emphasis on children, youth and elderly services in the village of Qaanaaq
Greenland
Qaanaaq is 60 mile north of Thule.
A 45-minute helicopter ride from Thule.

16. Installation Security equals Mission Longevity
…Installation Protection
821 SFS
Secure / Protect
Effect Space Superiority (12 SWS, Det 3)
Installation Operations
Law Enforcement/Traffic Management
Antiterrorism/Force Protection
Installation Security equals Mission Longevity

17. …Installation Protection
Antiterrorism/Force Protection
Air Terminal and seasonal harbor activity
Primary Advisor to ABG/CC on all things Force Protection
European AOR
Defending our Team Thule Friends and Partners!

18. Commander, Thule Air Base
This Briefing is UNCLASSIFIED
Thule Mosaic
Colonel Ed Fienga
Commander, Thule Air Base
12 Mar 07

19. Thule Mosaic

20. Thule Defense Area THULE DEFENSE AREA
…Installation Operations and Protection
DoD’s Northernmost Base
Air and/or sea access only
800 Miles/1300 Km from North Pole
Thule Defense Area
Total Footprint: 254 Miles2/406 Km2
Main Base: 5 Miles2/8 Km2
Arctic Environment
Limited Port and outdoor work season
Extended Storm season
Psychological Adjustment Required
4 Months of twilight/darkness
4 Months of 24/7 Sunlight
International Family of Teams
Military -- US, CA, DK
Contractors -- US, DK, GL
Thule AB is very unique. . .
We are the USAF’s Northernmost base
We’re south of the North Pole and North of the Arctic Circle
947 Miles South of North Pose (about the distance from Denver to Los Angeles)
We’re accessible by air year round and by sea for 2 months each year
We spend the majority of our time in storm season (8 months)
Our mission is accomplished by personnel from 4 different cultures
THULE DEFENSE
AREA

21. Thule Mosaic
Purpose: Provide insight into the unique mix of nationalities and personalities contributing to Thule Air Base mission
Other
US Contractors

22. Thule Mosaic US Military (25%) 821 ABG 12 SWS (21 OG) Det 3 (50 SW)
107 US military personnel
Effect space superiority through AF Core Values-
based installation operations and protection
12 SWS (21 OG)
27 US military + 2 Canadian military personnel
BMEWS Site provides early warning of ICBM and
SLBM attacks and space surveillance data on man-
made objects in space
Det 3 (50 SW)
2 US military personnel
Det 3, 22nd SOS, provides telemetry, tracking and
commanding operations to US and allied government
satellite programs
Det 1, 21 CONS (21 MSG)
9 personnel (4 military)
Controls all purchasing related to Thule’s 10 yr $900M+ contract

23. US Military Demographics
Thule Mosaic
US Military Demographics

24. Any Questions?