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Total Force showcases importance of airdrops

  • Published
  • By Capt. Amber Balken
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Current and future airdrop capabilities and the latest innovations in precision airdrops were demonstrated here recently by experts from Air Mobility Command, 139th Airlift Wing at St. Joseph Air National Guard Base, Mo. and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center, Natick, Mass. The organizations joined forces to showcase how their joint partnership is improving aerial delivery, increasing airdrop options, enhancing mission flexibility and more accurately getting supplies and equipment to the warfighters when and where they need them.

The presentation demonstrated both rudimentary airdrop methods with no guidance mechanisms and new airdrop capabilities, such as the Joint Precision Airdrop System and Lost Cost Low Altitude airdrop. The Low Cost Low Altitude airdrop concept is more accurate than traditional, higher-altitude airdrop methods and cuts down on "stray bundles." Becoming operational March 2010, it's a significant step forward in our ability to sustain those engaged in combat. JPADS use GPS to guide the bundles to specific drop zones significantly increasing precision.

"Airdrop is inherently a joint activity," said Scott Martin, a U.S. Army equipment specialist with Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center. "The guys on the ground depend on the guys in the air to get them the supplies they need in remote war zones."

An arsenal of multiple airdrop techniques ensures mission accomplishment through various environments. Airdrop provides the capability to deliver vital supplies to remote locations in Afghanistan that have inadequate or nonexistent roadways, treacherous terrain features, insurgent activity, or other threats. While airdrops are safer, there are still risks involved. There are four main threats to airdrop operations: the enemy, the increase of friendly aircraft in the skies, terrain, and collateral damage to civilian populace and property.

"Most people think of collateral damage as a bomber concern, but if you drop supplies on a house in a village you have lost the fight in that village regardless if you kill any bad guys or not," said Maj. Gen. Brooks Bash AMC Director of Operations. "It all comes back to precision; we are doing what we can to tailor the mission to the threats while meeting the needs of the troops."

The General also spoke of a recent airdrop mission to special operations soldiers who were in need of emergency airdrop. The airdrop was executed in four hours from notification. Sixteen bundles (28,000 pounds) of food and water were airdropped to a very remote area, no bigger than a football field, surrounded by mountains.

Precision is critical in airdrops similar to this as negotiation of the terrain and coordination with other coalition aircraft in a very busy airspace, pose bona fide risks to the aircrew. Additionally, keeping the delivery location in close proximity to the forward operating base is vital. The farther ground troops need to travel to retrieve the supplies, the more combat power is exhausted from finding the enemy.

Today, the need for airdrop remains high. AMC has been steadily increasing airdrop operations since they began in 2005 and we are employing the latest innovations in airdrop increasing their effectiveness. In 2009, 650 bundles of supplies were airdropped to forces in Afghanistan, totaling 30 million pounds. Due to increased forces and operations, airdrop efforts are currently on track to double 2009 totals with 1,300 bundles in 2010.