Subscribe
In support of the ongoing mission in Iraq against ISIS, U.S. Air Forces Central Command sent 11 Airmen from the 1st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group to Qayyarah West Airfield, Iraq, to repair the runway May 13 - 18, 2017.
Qayyarah West Airfield, more commonly known as Q-West by service members, is located in northern Iraq’s Ninawa Province and serves as a logistical hub and resupply port for Coalition Forces, as well as a strategic location in the offensive to take back Mosul from ISIS.
The Iraqi security forces recaptured Qayyarah West Airfield in the later half of 2016 from ISIS, who had control since 2014. Prior to retreating, ISIS destroyed the airfield using explosive and excavation equipment in an effort to make it unusable. Since then, the 1st ECEG, AFCENT’s premier engineer group has traveled to Q-West on three occasions to repair the airfield.
"Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group engineers are the go-to group for expedient airfield repairs in this area of responsibility,” said Tech. Sgt. Luke May, an engineer with 1st ECEG. “Repairing Q-West supported our Iraqi partners fighting in Mosul in their continued operations, which ultimately supports Operation Inherent Resolve¬.”
The damage to the airfield required the deployment of the U.S. military’s premier experts in rapid runway repair, the 1st ECEG.
"The 1st ECEG is the Combined Forces Air Component commander’s theater engineer force, and we tackle whatever missions he and our Coalition partners need most,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Harrison, 1st ECEG deputy group commander.
On Oct. 21, 2016, the first U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules landed at Q-West after a three-week repair effort by the 1st ECEG. In January 2017, the group made a second trip to Iraq to expand repair efforts to additional sections of the runway and perform regular maintenance on the active airstrip used daily by U.S. and Coalition Forces.
“The work we are here doing in Q-West ensures safe operations for U.S. and Coalition and Iraqi aircraft while they are landing, taking off and taxiing on this runway,” said Master Sgt. Eric Rau, 1st ECEG engineer.”
According to Rau, the May trip to Q-West was to re-enforce the structure of the flightline.
“We are making expedient repairs to the airfield to keep it operational for the western Mosul offensive,” he said. “We are going out and repairing damaged concrete on the airfield that has had some degradation and making those repairs so that we can ensure the safety of the aircraft.”
For now, the runway at the Qayyarah West Airfield is 100 percent operational and able to support combat operations, but the team will continue to monitor and make repairs as needed.
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2017 07:11 |
| Story ID: | 235608 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH WEST AIRFIELD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 254 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, 1st ECEG restores Q West Airfield to support OIR operations, by MSgt Michael Battles, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT