JB MDL airpower gets lift with new Globemasters

  • Published
  • By Capt. Darrick B. Lee
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOIINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The 305th and 514th Air Mobility Wings will increase airpower capabilities with the addition of new jets to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst flightline, the first of which arrived May 14.

Three new C-17 Globemaster III aircraft were assigned to the wing as part of a congressionally-approved increase in the number of aircraft throughout Air Mobility Command.

The host active duty wing, the 305th AMW, is the first wing to receive the initial round of aircraft scheduled for delivery during the next few weeks. As a Reserve tenant unit here, the 514th AMW will also benefit with the plus-up as it also uses the aircraft owned by the 305th AMW.

The 305th AMW is already host to a fleet of C-17s as well as KC-10 Extender aerial tankers, but the arrival of the new planes will increase the wing's ability to provide strategic delivery of troops and cargo worldwide. New software upgrades and improved GPS features are expected to increase response time between the new aircraft and crew member inputs.

A crew consisting of members from the wing's 6th Airlift Squadron and Reservists from the 732nd Airlift Squadron traveled to California Wednesday to retrieve the plane from Boeing, the aircraft's manufacturer.

Maj. Mike Dorrell, an instructor pilot with the 6th AS, is scheduled to command the aircraft on its maiden voyage to JB MDL. He is one of the first to integrate the new tail into wing operations.

"It's an exciting time to pick up a new airplane. We got to see how it was built at the plant. Now we get to fly it back. Some guys don't get a chance to do this in their careers ... It's certainly an honor."

The Airmen who fly and maintain the planes will waste no time breaking them in upon arrival. The wing already supports frequent missions to combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as global humanitarian crises, like the recent evacuation of Haitians affected by the earthquake which struck the area in January.

Wing leadership believes additional aircraft will make it possible to do even more.

"The Globemaster is a highly capable jet. I am proud to add it to our fleet, which is already deeply involved in the fight," said Col. Scott Smith, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander. "This represents Air Mobility Command's global reach. The addition of the C-17s on the ramp means America is all the more ready to respond to military contingencies and requests for humanitarian assistance around the globe."

The C-17 is one of the Air Force's most versatile aircraft. Its design allows it to operate through small, austere airfields. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet and only 90-feet wide. Even on such narrow runways, the C-17 can turn around using a three-point star turn and its backing capability.
Master Sgt. Donna T. Jeffries of the 514th AMW Public Affairs Office contributed to this story.