Hickam C-17s deliver anywhere

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Shane Cuomo
  • AFPN
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  In the off-chance the C-17 Globemaster III can't land somewhere to deliver its cargo, that cargo may just come coasting out of the back of the aircraft-with a parachute attached, of course.

Long-range reach and the ability to use small, austere airfields are among the strategic airlift capabilities of the Air Force's newest cargo jet. But the C-17 is also capable of delivering cargo to places even it can't land.

It's impossible at most and unsafe at least to land a $200 million jet in a mountain range or a flood plain. That's where the C-17's airdrop capability comes in.

"When we do our food drops in Afghanistan, when the troops are up in the mountains, there's nowhere for us to really land the airplane," said Staff Sgt. Ryan Boehm, a C-17 Loadmaster with Hickam's 535th Airlift Squadron. "So we have to airdrop the supplies in: food, water, bullets, whatever they need," he said.

To perfect their craft, the 535th needs practice. A regular part of their training program includes airdropping dummy loads over the Army's Kahuku range on Oahu.

"This training is important for us because we're employing these capabilities out in the AORs all the time," said Maj. Pete Axtell, a 535th C-17 pilot.

"Both AORs right now are doing combat drops," he said. "We set up scenarios out here that provide a combat-feel, so we try to make it as realistic as possible."

State side C-17 bases like Charleston Air Force Base, SC, and McChord Air Force Base, Wash., have dozens of C-17s, providing many opportunities for this type of training. In contrast, Hickam's eight jets offer somewhat limited exposure.

"Seeing this stuff--especially for the new guys that may not get a chance to see what the Charleston and McChord aircraft are doing--is extremely important for us here at Hickam," said Maj. Axtell.

The C-17 is designed to airdrop up to 102 paratroopers and equipment. It is also capable of airdropping virtually all of the Army's air-transportable equipment, making it a joint force multiplier.

Maj. Axtell said airdrop capability is half the C-17's mission; it's half the reason the C-17 is the Air Force's most flexible cargo aircraft