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C130

The last C-130 Hercules airlifters bid farewell to the Alaska Air National Guard

by Till Daisd April 14, 2023

The eight “legacy” C-130H Hercules aircraft and the tactical airlift role were both removed from the Alaska Air National Guard by the Presidential Budget

A small group of observers and well-wishers watched as the Alaska Air National Guard’s C-130H Hercules turboprops faded into the horizon on the sunny, frosty morning of March 5, 2017.

A major shift has occurred at the wing, one of the biggest and busiest Air Guard wings in the country, with the divestment of the final C-130 from the 144th Airlift Squadron. Since 1957, the core of its numerous operations has been its tactical airlift aircraft, initially C-47 Skytrains and then C-123 Providers. The first C-130s, the “E” models, debuted in 1976, and the modified “H” models followed seven years later. These blunt-nosed turboprops have been common sights in Alaskan skies for more than 40 years, because of their tough construction and usefulness for short-airfield operations.

The Alaska Air National Guard has now lost access to its eight “legacy” C-130H Hercules aircraft and the tactical airlift mission as a result of changes to the USAF’s organizational structure that were included in the 2017 Presidential Budget. As a result, each of these aircraft has either been retired from service or transferred to another state Guard unit.

“With over four decades of incredible service, today’s C-130 departures mark a significant milestone for the 176th Wing,” said Col. Steve deMilliano, commander of the 176th Wing. “Their aircrews and maintainers have served with honor and distinction. This 70th Anniversary year for the United States Air Force highlights that aircraft and missions will eventually change, and our Airmen are constantly ensuring mission success. Despite any bittersweet feelings we may have with the final two C-130H aircraft departing today, we’re excited to see our dedicated airmen embracing the opportunities of the future to begin writing yet another successful chapter in our Wing’s proud history. Our nation and state know they can count on us being ready whenever called upon.”

Current and former crews and maintainers had the chance to reminisce and look over the two remaining C-130s of the wing at a ceremony and BBQ on March 4. They all lauded the renowned adaptability of the airframe.

“I’ve been all the way down to Montevideo, Uruguay, and Cape Town, South Africa,” said Chief Master Sgt. (ret.) Robert Paulson, a former C-130 crew chief attended the event. “It [the C-130] did so many things – anything to support the goals of our country.”

The 176th Wing remains one of the most operationally engaged Air Guard organizations despite the divestiture of the C-130s and their tactical airlift mission. Its missions include inter-agency rescue coordination, U.S. airspace monitoring and defense, and a full complement of agile combat support. It also includes the rescue triad, which consists of HH-60 Pavehawk Helicopters, HC-130 J-models, and Guardian Angel pararescuemen.

Since 2007, these operations have also included a strategic airlift, which is carried out by the wing’s 249th Airlift Squadron in cooperation with the 517th Airlift Squadron of the Air Force. (A “classic association” is a relationship in which Airmen from the active component and the Air National Guard collaborate as equal partners in carrying out the mission, but the active-duty Air Force owns the aircraft.) The 249th will take over control of the airframes as this organization transitions to an “active” association.

The 176th Wing and squadron leaders recognize that new opportunities are presented by mission adjustments.

“We know that the future depends on continuing to change and adapt,” commented 144th Commander Lt. Col. Michael Cummings.

Story by Major John Callahan / Alaska Air National Guard; Photo by Staff Sgt. Edward Eagerton / U.S. Air National Guard

April 14, 2023 0 comment

History

The Israeli Air Force’s participation in Operation Entebbe

by Till Daisd December 20, 2022

written by Till Daisd

On the afternoon of July 3, four C-130 cargo planes transported the combat forces from the Ophir airport in southern Sinai. After a seven-hour flight, the airlifters reached Entebbe and landed at the airfield.

Operation Entebbe, one of the riskiest hostage rescue attempts in history, took place 44 years ago today.

After a brief stopover in Athens on June 27, 1976, a group of terrorists seized an Air France Airbus airliner that was traveling from Ben-Gurion to Paris. After seizing possession of it, the terrorists forced the Airbus to land at the airport in Benghazi, Libya. The hijacked plane continued south after refueling. On the morning of June 28, it landed early at Entebbe airport in Uganda, which is 50 kilometers from Kampala, the country’s capital.

There were 148 people riding in the aircraft. According to the Israeli Air Force website’s Operation Entebbe article, Ugandan President Idi Amin embraced the hijackers and sent his forces to assist them. The terrorists requested the release of 52 detainees held in Israel, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Kenya in exchange for the release of the hostages.

A quick look at Israeli Air Force participation in Operation Entebbe, one of the most daring hostage rescue missions in history

After multiple diplomatic efforts failed, the political echelons ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to conduct a military operation to release the hostages. Israeli Air Force took part in a special operation carried out by the IDF’s “Sayeret Matkal” special operations unit (IAF). The operation got started right away after quickly developing a plan and conducting training using an operational model. On the afternoon of July 3, four C-130 cargo planes transported the combat forces from the Ophir airport in southern Sinai.

After a seven-hour flight, the airlifters reached Entebbe and landed at the airfield. The hostages who were being held in the terminal were freed as the combat forces stormed the airfield. During the operation, there were also two Boeing 707 airplanes in the air. The deputy chief of staff and IAF commander oversaw the operation from one, which operated as an airborne hospital, and the other, which served as a relay and command post.

At the conclusion of the operation, the C-130s departed from Entebbe. They stopped at the Nairobi airport in Kenya while traveling back in order to refuel. When the plane with the hostages landed in Israel early on July 4, 1976, the operation was over. Operation Yonatan, which was later known as Operation Thunderbolt, was later carried out in honor of Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu Z”L, commander of “Sayeret Matkal,” the only IDF soldier killed during the mission.

Photo by Israeli Air Force

December 20, 2022 0 comment

History

Why the C-130 is still USAF mainstay of Medevac

by Till Daisd November 27, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The C-130 can immediately abandon its current mission and function as an aeromedical evacuation platform, thanks to its architecture

The C-130 Hercules has been a workhorse of aeromedical evacuation since the Vietnam War and continues to be a reliable platform to transport patients over long distances, enabling Airmen to deliver vital care in the air, support disaster relief efforts, and return warfighters to their families.

The C-130 is a versatile aircraft that was first put into service in 1956 and is ideal for aeromedical evacuation duty. It is regarded as reliable and tough enough for lengthy operations in the theater and can take off from difficult runways.

A quick look at why the C-130 is still mainstay of medevac more than 60 years after its first flight

A photograph from the past shows the YC-130 Hercules on its first flight, which took place on August 23, 1954, from Burbank to Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Air Force’s Tactical Air Command recognized a need for a medium-cargo tactical transport in 1951 and developed the C-130 to meet that need. The C-130 has had the longest continuous military aircraft production line in history because it is still being produced today. The C-130 and its variants have served as a vital aeromedical evacuation platform for the U.S. Air Force for much of its operational history, transporting patients over large distances safely and enabling AE crews to provide care in the air. (Image courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)

This assists in bringing medical expertise closer to the front lines. In the article, Steady and Ready: C-130 mainstay of medevac, Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs Shireen Bedi explains that the C-130’s design allows it to rapidly abandon its current mission and function as an aeromedical evacuation platform.

At Kitzingen Air Base in Germany in September 1970, Red Cross supplies, equipment, and portable hospitals were stockpiled into C-130 Hercules airplanes. As part of Operation Fig Hill, which offers emergency relief and medical assistance amid civil unrest, the aircraft was traveling to Jordan. For a wide range of aeromedical evacuation operations, C-130 aircraft have always been able to fly over hostile and occasionally hostile airfields.

It is equipped with electrical and oxygen systems for aeromedical evacuation equipment, it can be modified to carry up to 74 litter patients and is specifically made to lessen the adverse effects of altitude on patients and medical staff.

On October 23, 1984, at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, a hospital bus parks behind a C-130 Hercules aircraft to take victims of the Pines Hotel fire to the local hospital. At a reunion honoring the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the Philippines, more than 200 World War II veterans and their families were lodging at a hotel in Baguio. Since the Vietnam War, the C-130 airframe has developed a reputation as a dependable aircraft with enhanced patient transport capabilities, becoming a cornerstone of the current AE system.

The C-130 platform has been a cornerstone of the modern aeromedical evacuation system, as the pictures in this post demonstrate. It is being deployed as a tactical, intra-theater aeromedical evacuation platform.

In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on January 16, 2010, a C-130 Hercules aircraft makes a final approach into Toussaint Louverture International Airport as part of the relief effort that sent critical medical personnel and supplies after the region was struck by a 7.0 earthquake. The C-130 is the Air Force’s most modified aircraft, allowing it to fulfill a range of mission requirements, according to the Air Mobility Command Historian Office. The C-130 is a crucial airframe for disaster response because of its adaptability; when necessary, it can be quickly changed in the field from cargo transport to aeromedical evacuations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Perry Aston)

At Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan on May 29, 2014, U.S. Air Force airmen with the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron got ready to unload patients. In all of Afghanistan, the aeromedical evacuation squadron transports and cares for injured and ill personnel. Aeromedical evacuation personnel must set up their work area, which spans nearly the full length of the aircraft’s cargo section, in an organized manner because space is at a premium on a C-130. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Evelyn Chavez)

On a C-130 Hercules during an emergency flight from Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on February 14, 2010, U.S. Air Force Maj. Debora Lehker, a reserve critical care air transport team nurse, consoles a wounded Canadian army soldier. Members of the Aeromedical Evacuation Team are regarded as flight crew, therefore, in addition to their area of medical expertise, they also need to be knowledgeable about the C-130 aircraft. They must understand how to set up the aircraft to accommodate patient litters and how the electrical systems for the equipment are needed to keep passengers safe while in flight operations. (Courtesy photo)

On March 24, 2017, a C-130 Hercules from Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, backs up to an ambulance bus from the 60th Inpatient Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, California, during Patriot Delta. The 60th IPTS provided en route patient care and set up the medical manikins as part of the Air Force Reserve exercise Patriot Delta. Through training opportunities like this one, AE crews may learn how to safely and effectively move patients to the back of the plane, provide care while in the air, and guarantee that patients are delivered to the next level of care. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel Phelps)

November 27, 2021 0 comment