LC-130s depart for the "Ice"

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chris Vadnais
  • Air Force News
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  A pair of LC-130 Hercules tactical cargo aircraft left here headed for Antarctica today. The specially equipped, modified C-130s belong to the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, and are flying to McMurdo Station, Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze.

Deep Freeze is an annual joint and total force operation supporting the National Science Foundation. Active duty and reserve airlift support comes in the form of C-17 Globemaster IIIs from the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord AFB, Wash., which deliver heavy loads of equipment, people and supplies. Once the cargo arrives on the continent, the LC-130 aircraft, fitted with special snow ski landing gears, distribute it to remote research posts throughout Antarctica.

According to Lt. Gen. "Chip" Utterback, 13th Air Force Commander and Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica, Operation Deep Freeze commander, this deployment is part of an important commitment the United States has made to support the National Science Foundation.

"This mission has a very direct impact on the way we live today and the way we're going to live tomorrow," said Lt. Gen. Utterback. "The science that's coming out of the efforts that these people enable through Support Forces Antarctica will make a difference in our lives sooner rather than later," he said.

Getting people and equipment around on the continent itself is a unique task. Aside from a few ice airstrips, there are no runways to land on. Hence the skis on the LC-130s.
"The skis are on swivels, basically," said Master Sgt. Cliff Devoe, a crew chief with the 109th. "When they hit, the skis just swivel right down, and a lot of times it's just a nice smooth glide," he said.

Pilots can reverse the propellers after landing, which serves as a brake and helps stop the aircraft. But rough landings and sliding aren't as big a concern as the weather. There are no hangars in Antarctica to protect the aircraft from the elements.

"Our mechanics turn the wrenches and fix them outside," said Maj. Cliff Souza, an LC-130 pilot in his eighth year of Deep Freeze missions.

According to Maj. Souza, performing maintenance on the planes in the cold weather, then heating them up in preparation to fly them can cause problems.

"Hydraulic systems, fuels systems, it just all needs to be monitored closely," he said.

"But we usually don't have any problems. We've got some of the best maintenance guys in the Air Force taking care of our airplanes."

Operation Deep Freeze is unlike any other U.S. military operation and is one of the most demanding peacetime missions due to the extreme adversity of the environment and remoteness of Antarctica.

Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, most inhospitable continent on the globe and Operation Deep Freeze provides a challenging opportunity to demonstrate the reach and flexibility of airpower, the capabilities of the joint force and the integrated support of active-duty, Guard and Reserve military personnel.