Contract aircraft and maintenance crews supporting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) conduct aviation maintenance on twin‑turboprop aircraft modified with onboard cooling systems and external dispersal chutes at South Texas International Airport, Edinburg, Texas, on Jul. 2, 2026. These mission‑specific aircraft are critical to the New World Screwworm (NWS) program’s continued protection of livestock and wildlife across the region.
The sterile fly program, built on decades of multinational cooperation, uses continuous aerial release to halt the spread of New World Screwworm by overwhelming wild populations with sterile males. With multi agency coordination—from CBP inspections to USDA documentation, facility processing, Texas National Guard training, and specialized aviation support—the operation demonstrates an intensive, international effort to protect livestock, wildlife, and communities across the region.
Videos are available at
https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/NewWorldScrewworm
Photos are available in the USDA APHIS Collection https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/collections/72157625204032244/
USDA Media by Lance Cheung.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2026 14:16 |
| Photo ID: | 9869867 |
| VIRIN: | 260702-P-RD001-7733 |
| Resolution: | 7491x4994 |
| Size: | 10.35 MB |
| Location: | EDINBURG, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 3 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Aerial Dispersal [Image 36 of 36], by Lance Cheung, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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