2017
148 topics in this forum
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BOISE, Idaho — 121 sorties. 124 flight hours. 373,900 gallons of water dropped. Impressive statistics for firefighting aircrew members and personnel from four different C-130 military units participating in a five-day Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System annual training sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service here. The training included Air National Guard units from California, Nevada and Wyoming and one from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in Colorado. In all, 400 people from multiple agencies worked the training and certification operation. BOISE, Idaho — 121 sorties. 124 flight hours. 373,900 gallons of water dropped. Impressive statistics for firefighting a…
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More than a year since news broke that Air Force Special Operations Command planned to install and test lasers on its fabulously lethal AC-130 Gunships, the plan now is to get its top unfunded requirement tested within a year. Lt Gen Brad Webb, head of AFSOC, told me that was now the plan. General Atomics and other companies have been spending their own research and development (IRAD) money on the capability, as we reported in late 2015. More than a year since news broke that Air Force Special Operations Command planned to install and test lasers on its fabulously lethal AC-130 Gunships, the plan now is to get its top unfunded requirement tested within a …
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After more than 50 years of faithful service and rescue missions spanning the globe, King 52, the first HC-130P/N configured for Air Force rescue in 1964, retired March 6, 2017. Accompanied by its 920th Rescue Wing dedicated crew chiefs and a nostalgic aircrew, the aircraft, tail number 4852, heads to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, from Patrick AFB, Florida, where it has been stationed since mid-2015. “It was about to retire when we acquired it from Moody Air Force Base,(Georgia),” said Tech. Sgt. Norberto Nieves, a 720th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron expeditor and former crew chief to King 52. “It was a work horse; that’s for sure.” After more …
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GREAT FALLS, Mont.—A new state-of-the-art C-130 Hercules aircraft maintenance hangar was dedicated and placed into service at the Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Airlift Wing April 6. The addition of the new Building 80 and renovation of Building 25 was designed to accommodate the larger C-130 transport aircraft assigned to the wing following its conversion from a fighter mission to an airlift mission. GREAT FALLS, Mont.—A new state-of-the-art C-130 Hercules aircraft maintenance hangar was dedicated and placed into service at the Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Airlift Wing April 6. The addition of the new Building 80 and renovation of Building 25 w…
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Nandi Zama has been flying the C-130 Military Cargo Plane for four years and has officially made history because she is now a commander which is the equivalent of a civilian captain. She has made history as the first black woman to fly the C-130 (as a commander) and she is only 31! Nandi Zama has been flying the C-130 Military Cargo Plane for four years and has officially made history because she is now a commander which is the equivalent of a civilian captain. She has made history as the first black woman to fly the C-130 (as a commander) and she is only 31! “If there’s a mission and she needs to take the aircraft‚ she needs to assemble a team that inc…
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The US military has dropped an enormous bomb in Afghanistan, according to four US military officials with direct knowledge of the mission. A GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), nicknamed the "mother of all bombs," was dropped at 7:32 pm local time Thursday, the sources said. A MOAB is a 21,600-pound, GPS-guided munition that is America's most powerful non-nuclear bomb. “As ISIS-K’s losses have mounted, they are using [improvised bombs], bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense,” said Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, in a statement. “This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum o…
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Air National Guardsmen and their aircraft, deployed in support of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, execute daily airlift missions out of one of the busiest air bases in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility. With the operations tempo high as ever, the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing recently completed a near seamless change out of its C-130H Hercules aircraft and air crews. Air National Guardsmen and their aircraft, deployed in support of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, execute daily airlift missions out of one of the busiest air bases in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibili…
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An aircrew from the 180th Airlift Squadron returned home Sept. 1, 2017 from providing airlift support in Texas in response to relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Part of their mission included transporting six pallets of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supplies including blankets and Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs). They transported some 36,000 lbs of cargo, according to Maj. Nick Kahler, who was the navigator for this particular crew. An aircrew from the 180th Airlift Squadron returned home Sept. 1, 2017 from providing airlift support in Texas in response to relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Part of their mission included transporting six pal…
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Personnel from the Train, Advise, Assist, Command – Air (TAAC-Air) and the Afghan Air Force conducted a bilateral casualty evacuation mission and an aerial re-supply training exercise July 9-10. Afghan pilots and U.S. Air Force advisors from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron made the roundtrip C-130 flight from Hamid Karzai International Airport to Kandahar Airfield to drop off supplies and facilitate the movement of wounded Afghan National Defense and Security Force personnel back to Kabul for further treatment. Personnel from the Train, Advise, Assist, Command – Air (TAAC-Air) and the Afghan Air Force conducted a bilateral casualty evacu…
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Throughout the Air Force, Airmen depend on each other to ensure the mission is completed. Just as pilots depend on an array of career field specialists to guarantee an aircraft is mission-ready, weapons undergraduate pilots in the C-130 Weapons Instructor Course depend on loadmasters to help understand what goes on in the back of the aircraft. The 29th Weapons Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, is home to the C-130 WIC. Only the top tier of instructor pilots and instructor navigators are selected to attend the course. Weapons officer cadre train weapons undergraduate pilots, or WUGS, to become tactical experts and leaders in the art of battle-space do…
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Approximately 200 members of the 180th Fighter Wing, 179th Airlift Wing and 107th Calvary Regiment joined forces joined forces with an additional 200 military members from six allied and partner nations and 10 different airframes from throughout Europe for the two-week exercise, to include Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and the United States. Approximately 200 members of the 180th Fighter Wing, 179th Airlift Wing and 107th Calvary Regiment joined forces joined forces with an additional 200 military members from six allied and partner nations and 10 different airframes from throughout Europe for the two-week exercise, to include Hungary…
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Dozens of airmen with the Montana Air National Guard are now back home with their loved ones after their first major deployment since the 120th Airlift Wing transitioned from fighter jets to C-130 cargo planes. This was the airmen's first large-scale deployment since completing the two and a half year conversion process in October. During the deployment, the Guardsmen were assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing and participated in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Flight crews delivered supplies and personnel throughout the region to military units fighting ISIS. Dozens of airmen with the Montana Air National Guard are now back hom…
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Seventeen C-130H Hercules and C-130J Super Hercules from several active duty, reserve and air guard bases took off from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, in support of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School Joint Forcible Entry 17B, Dec. 9. The JFE 17B is a USAFWS large-scale airdrop and land mobility mission at Nellis AFB, Nev., in which students from the weapons school plan and execute a complex air-land operation in a simulated contested battlefield. The Weapons School Integration is the capstone event that culminates a 5-month course for its students. WSINT involves the planning and execution of every aspect of air, space and cyber combat operations, with joint force…
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Chemical tanks, conveyer belts and intricate machines line the walls of the 19th Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspections shop. The lights are turned off as one ultraviolet light shines a new spectrum of colors to an NDI technician. Shades of purple, blue and neon-green light up the dark as the Airman searches for what the naked eye can’t see. Just as a special investigator uses black lights searching for clues, NDI Airmen use them to identify potential cracks in a variety of aircraft parts. “We specialize in preventative maintenance,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Derik Shannon, 19th MXS NDI craftsman. “We use noninvasive ways to inspec…
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Airmen conducted a training flight using the first C-130J with a Block 8.1 upgrade at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, Feb. 3, 2017. The Block 8.1 upgrade enhances GPS capabilities, communications systems, updated friend-or-foe identification and allows the C-130J to comply with worldwide air traffic management regulations. Additionally, the upgrade program will standardize aviation systems to improve interoperability Airmen conducted a training flight using the first C-130J with a Block 8.1 upgrade at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, Feb. 3, 2017. The Block 8.1 upgrade enhances GPS capabilities, communications systems, updated friend-o…
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A planned mid-life upgrade for Sweden’s six-strong Lockheed Martin C-130H HERCULES transports could reduce the fleet by up to half at any given time, the air force has claimed, adding strain to the already modest fleet. Speaking to media in Stockholm, Col. Magnus Liljegren, Head of the Air Force Department, said that under Sweden’s government bill defense review of 2015 that covered requirements for 2016-2020, it was mandated that the availability of the transport fleet be increased. A planned mid-life upgrade for Sweden’s six-strong Lockheed Martin C-130H HERCULES transports could reduce the fleet by up to half at any given time, the air force h…
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Lockheed Martin has received a $59 million contract modification from the U.S. Air Force for the delivery of four customized KC-130J fuselage trainers. The Defense Department said Friday that Lockheed’s rotary and mission systems unit will modify C-130 airframe trainer systems to replicate the appearance, functions and performance of the KC-130J aircraft. Lockheed Martin has received a $59 million contract modification from the U.S. Air Force for the delivery of four customized KC-130J fuselage trainers. The Defense Department said Friday that Lockheed’s rotary and mission systems unit will modify C-130 airframe trainer systems to replicate the appea…
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Sydney-based manufacturer Quickstep Holding has extended its partnership with US defense and aerospace company Lockheed Martin by becoming a supplier to its new LM-100J commercial freighter. The company, which is the largest independent aerospace-grade advanced composite manufacturer in Australia, also supplies wing flaps to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Sydney-based manufacturer Quickstep Holding has extended its partnership with US defense and aerospace company Lockheed Martin by becoming a supplier to its new LM-100J commercial freighter. The company, which is the largest independent aerospace-grade…
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Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group increased military cooperation with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the fourth iteration of Exercise Teak Net, which took place April 15-18, 2017 at RNZAF Base Auckland and April 18-28, 2017 at RNZAF Base Woodbourne, New Zealand. “The military cooperation between the U.S. and New Zealand is important as we attempt to address some of the world’s greatest challenges,” said Col William Freeman, 353rd SOG commander. “Exercise Teak Net is a classic example of a perfect exchange in which we are learning a lot from our partners in the areas of maintenance, medical and flying operations. We have reciprocated through …
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The U.S. Air Force Weapons School's 34th Weapons Squadron capitalized on planning and collaboration to graduate its first class of students June 17 in the Class 17A HC-130J Combat King II weapons instructor course, laying the foundation to increase HC-130J weapons officers in the Combat Air Forces. The U.S. Air Force Weapons School's 34th Weapons Squadron capitalized on planning and collaboration to graduate its first class of students June 17 in the Class 17A HC-130J Combat King II weapons instructor course, laying the foundation to increase HC-130J weapons officers in the Combat Air Forces. As reported when the HC-130J WIC was approved in 2015, the cours…
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The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing's annual support for National Science Foundation research in Greenland got underway in April and May, as wing members delivered 177 tons of cargo and 2,000 gallons of fuel during the season's first three-week rotation. The second rotation of three LC-130 ski-equipped aircraft and 80 airmen departed May 15. The New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing's annual support for National Science Foundation research in Greenland got underway in April and May, as wing members delivered 177 tons of cargo and 2,000 gallons of fuel during the season's first three-week rotation. The second rotation of th…
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As the sun slowly rose over the eastern horizon, 19 C-130 aircraft, both Hercules and Super Hercules models, made their way across the Nevada landscape. While the aircraft progressed towards their target, the gorges and canyons below seemed like nothing more than a web of cracks across the countryside. A 94th Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules and its aircrew were among these planes and, along with more than 90 other aircraft, participated in the Joint Forcible Entry Exercise, hosted and led by the current graduating class of the United States Air Force Weapons School, to practice conducting large multi-platform operations within a contested degraded environment. …
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U.S. and Romanian military members concluded a two-week bilateral training exercise on Otopeni Air Base, Romania, Aug. 31, 2017. Carpathian Fall 2017 involved participation from more than 100 Airmen from Ramstein AB, Germany, along with paratroopers from the U.S. Army and Romanian military. The exercise also saw participation from Romanian Air Force pilots who served as observers. The goal of Carpathian Fall 2017 was to enhance mission readiness and interoperability between the U.S. and Romanian military. An example of the partnership displayed during the exercise was the airlift of Romanian paratroopers on U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Romanian Air…
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The 403rd Wing successfully completed the Green Flag Little Rock 17-05 exercise held at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, March 10-22. It was the largest Green Flag exercise to date, and the first time an Air Force Reserve unit has led such an event. “The exercise simulated a deployment operated out of Little Rock AFB, and we flew combat missions to simulated combat areas,” said Lt. Col. Stuart Rubio, 815th Airlift Squadron commander. The 403rd Wing successfully completed the Green Flag Little Rock 17-05 exercise held at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, March 10-22. It was the largest Green Flag exercise to date, and the first time an Air Force Rese…
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Two 815th Airlift Squadron crews from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi participated in a six-ship multinational airborne mission here in the Normandy region June 4, to commemorate D-Day 73. In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Infantry Divisions dropped into France in the opening moments of what would become known as “The Longest Day.” Two 815th Airlift Squadron crews from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi participated in a six-ship multinational airborne mission here in the Normandy region June 4, to commemorate D-Day 73. In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Infa…
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