SOUTHWEST ASIA -- To fight the Global War on Terrorism successfully, it takes everything
from ground forces and fighter planes to the U.S. Air Force’s air
mobility capabilities. The military needs airlift and tankers to deliver
everything from those ground forces and fuel to weapons and humanitarian
supplies into combat environments.
The contributions airlifters and tankers have brought to the fight
have not gone unrecognized by joint or Air Force leadership. Recently,
Gen. John Handy, commander of Air Mobility Command and U.S.
Transportation Command, sent the U.S. Central Command Air Forces
director of mobility forces on a trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and other
Southwest locations to praise the Airmen involved in the massive air
mobility effort.
Beginning April 3, Brig. Gen. Charles Collier visited Ali Air Base,
Iraq; Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan; Karshi-Kanabad AB, Uzbekistan; and several
undisclosed air bases throughout Southwest Asia.
“I was delighted to visit our great air mobility team and tell each
unit of its accomplishments and their impact on our shared mission of
directly supporting the warfighter,” General Collier said. “It is
gratifying to see the commitment and mission focus our people maintain
and the impact their efforts have throughout the AOR.”
In today’s environment, U.S. forces must be able to provide a
rapid, tailored response with the capability to intervene against a
well-equipped foe, hit hard and terminate quickly. Rapid global mobility
lies at the heart of U.S. strategy in this environment –
without the capability to project forces, there is no conventional
deterrent.
The airlift and tanker aircraft AMC brings to the fight, both
intra-theater and reachback, include the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender,
C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker and C-141
Starlifter. Operational support aircraft include the C-21, C-32, C-37
and C-40.
Air mobility provides global reach for America in its efforts to
support the Global War on Terrorism. The airlift operation into
Afghanistan is one of the largest efforts of its kind, ranking up there
with Operation Vittles of the Berlin Airlift and Operations Desert
Shield and Desert Storm, according to AMC.
Airmen in the airlift and tanker business support the primary mission
of rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces.
The Airmen provide airlift and aerial refueling for all U.S. military
branches. The airlift mission also includes aeromedical evacuation
missions.
“We have an Aeromedical Evacuation Control Team deployed to
Southwest Asia as mobility experts to plan and execute aeromedical
evacuation operations of sick and injured troops supporting Operations
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Southwest Asia to Landstuhl
Regional Medical Center in Ramstein, Germany,” said Lt. Col. Lenora
Cook, AECT chief. “Our team is also responsible for providing command
and control across the spectrum of military operations within the
Combined Air Operations Center, along with command and control of
aeromedical evacuation assets to include aeromedical evacuation crews
and critical care air transport teams.”
In just the first four months of this year, air mobility support of
OEF and OIF has included: 15,156 sorties flown; 263,207 passengers
moved; 54,190 short tons of cargo moved; and 14,463 air refueling
missions flown.
“Clearly the air mobility team continues to do a magnificent job
supporting the warfighter throughout the region,” General Collier
said.