The USAF conducted an impressive aircraft launch last Thursday (05). A total of 24 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft It flew over five operational regions in the country.
The exercise also involved Army and Marine Corps personnel and represented the largest single-base launch of C-17s in USAF history, demonstrating the ability of Combined Air Force Base Charleston, South Carolina, to generate and deploy an enormous amount of air power, working in tandem. with partners.
“Air Mobility Command is the critical maneuver of the Joint Force, and our unparalleled advantage is our talented and adaptable pilots,” said Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, commander of the Eighteenth Air Force.
“Every day we learn new lessons that we want to apply in combat, so this mission creation exercise is an opportunity to test our capabilities at pace and expand the range of approaching combat operations.”
The C-17 freighters began the exercise with a show-of-force flight over the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston Harbor and then dispersed to hone four key capabilities: command and control, navigation, pacing, and logistics under fire.
Meanwhile, more than 20 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, From Shaw and McEntire Air Base, they faced each other in the sky as part of an exercise. In this parallel activity, fighters competed for air supremacy while other joint forces made agile airlift work to create an anti-missile defense system.
“We have to fight to get to the fight,” said Col. Robert Lankford, commander of the 437th Airlift Wing. “This exercise tests our ability to get the job done while geographically dispersed and with limited communications.”
The operation is also part of the US Air Force’s new Agile Combat Employment (ACE) doctrine. Crews exercised flexible deterrence and response options, such as the ability to land in harsh environments and quickly complete the mission at each location.
“This exercise is about readiness and lethality.”said Major Zachary Barry, C-17 pilot and commander of the exercise planner. We wanted to take off as many planes as possible Within 48 hours to tell the threats, we can go anywhere, anytime.”
The Air Force’s first planes landed at Pope Military Airport in North Carolina, where soldiers worked with the communications support element to establish a tactical operations center (TOC). This, in turn, provided secure communications and decentralized command structures to increase critical decision superiority and avoid outages.
Other C-17s landed at the same base, where they were launched with Special Tactics troopers. They were then parachuted near Holland District; On the ground they commandeered a dirt airstrip for later operations.
Meanwhile, C-17s landed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, also in North Carolina, where they were quickly loaded with M142 HIMARS missile launchers and the armored JLTV. Those were taken to Pope’s base, where they made a quick infiltration.
Screenshots from yesterday’s 24-ship task generation exercise.
This exercise represented the largest C-17 launch ever from a single base and focused on rapid combat employment and the ability to project overwhelming air power and superiority in a short time frame. pic.twitter.com/TboNSkgGwq
– space intelligence (space_osint) January 6, 2023
The C-17s, which landed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, performed an integrated combat rapid refueling. AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the US Army.
At another base, this time Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia, the Army has focused on logistics under fire. The crews used multi-capability concepts to maneuver the payload, meaning they practiced skills outside of their primary roles to get the job done.
“What we practice is flexible deterrence and flexible response options”Barry said. “If we can move too quickly, it will be difficult for the opponent to react.”
During the exercise, about 60 aircraft — including E-3 Sentry radar aircraft and KC 135 Stratotankers — were in the air, synchronizing capabilities to maximize lethality. Pilots also experimented with command and control equipment that would provide information to aircrews to increase their battlefield awareness in a contested environment.
“This is a historic training for us because we need to be able to fight tonight,” he said. Major Barry said. “We need to be ready to answer the call, no matter what.”
About C-17
Originally developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) based on the YC-15 prototype, the C-17 Globemaster III is one of the main military transport aircraft in the United States, along with the legendary C-130 Hercules and the massive C-5 Galactica. .
The aircraft is 53 meters long, 51.7 meters wide, and 16.7 meters high and has four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 (PW2000, the same engine used in the 757) turbofan engines, each generating more than 40,400 pounds of thrust.
The plane can carry up to 77 tons of cargo or 102 paratroopers, but it has achieved worldwide fame More than 820 people were transported at once during the evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021.
In operation since January 1995, the C-17 came to replace the US Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, but ended up being acquired by other countries: India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Canada, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the multinational transport wing. NATO, headquartered in Hungary.
Do you want to receive our news directly? click here And be part of our group on Whatsapp or Telegram.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.