Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace | 170204-F-WU507-013: A 1st Airlift Squadron C-40B sits parked as it awaits fuel at...... read more read more
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Upgraded C-40Bs bring state-of-art comms to VPOTUS airlift
Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace
89th Airlift Wing
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland – The 89th Airlift Wing recently received a C-40B back from a lengthy depot maintenance cycle where the aircraft communication systems were completely revamped, bringing state-of-the-art comms onto the jet.
The mods on Tail 10040 were tested during a four-day off-station training mission from Feb. 4-7, 2017.
Imagine a scenario where the Secretary of State is flying to Europe to meet with allies about escalating tensions in the region. The situation is one that is rapidly evolving and the secretary needs to host a secure video tele-conference with allied heads of state while enroute. This is a meeting that cannot be put off and must happen immediately; the comms systems must support the VTC and can’t fail, there’s so much riding on it.
Traversing the globe over an ocean at 36,000 feet and with varied weather patterns, the VTC is set up and heads of state align their strategic visions to face the evolving threat. This is they type of missions and scenarios the 89th AW faces every day and most agree the bulk of the Special Air Missions Foreign, or SAM Fox missions, revolve around comms.
The C-40B is a highly modified Boeing 737. It accommodates 11 crew and up to 24 passengers. It has two communication systems operator stations, a small galley in the front of the aircraft, a DV cabin, an eight-person conference room, and first-class type seating throughout. The aircraft is designed to provide global airlift to the vice president, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, first lady, the U.S. Central Command commander and other high-profile senior elected leaders.
Every aspect of all 89th AW aircraft is to enable the reliable global airlift of America’s senior leaders, keeping them safe, comfortable, connected and protected.
“The comms system was upgraded from a proprietary fiber channel distribution system to an IP based open architecture distribution system enabling centralized command and control capabilities. A Ka-based network was also added which increased bandwidth about 10-fold from previous system capability,” said Staff Sgt. John Operana, 1st Airlift Squadron CSO. “Airborne Executive Phones were also integrated to allow a single handset access to multiple classification voice connectivity.”
To keep SAM Fox customers connected while traveling away from the continental United States, the 89th AW CSOs continually switch from satellite to satellite, depending on their location and signal strength. They monitor and advise the pilots of emerging weather patterns that may disrupt communications, allowing the aircraft to divert as necessary, ensuring the communications vital to national security are maintained.
When one imagines a scenario when they’ve ventured too far away from an urban area and lose a cell phone signal, the thought of CSOs maintaining a Top Secret VTC in the middle of an ocean while moving at business jet speeds may seem like a minor miracle.
Tech. Sgt. Barry Bonnema is a former seasoned 1st AS CSO, but he is currently stationed with L3 Technologies, a contract company, at a location away from Joint Base Andrews, where he serves as the liaison between L3 and the 89th AW.
“One by one, all four of the 89th AW C-32As and both C-40Bs are coming through us for the modifications. These mods take several months to complete as the aircraft comm systems, including all the electrical harnesses, are completely upgraded and brought up to state-of-the-art systems,” said Bonnema. “While many new systems were installed, several of the legacy systems were maintained for redundancy and back-up purposes. These 89th AW aircraft have layer after layer of redundancy so if one system becomes inop, the CSO has the ability to quickly switch to another system and restore the comms.”
Because of the no-fail missions the 89th AW flies, every pilot, flight attendant, flying crew chief, flight engineer and CSO are selectively hired and are all at the absolute top of their craft before they’re even considered for an assignment onboard the prestigious blue-and-white fleet.
Col. Casey Eaton commands the 89th AW. He’s committed to ensuring that, from those who work on the VC-25A, commonly known by its call sign ‘Air Force One’ for when the president is on board, to the crews of the large Boeing aircraft the 1st AS flies and the sleek Gulfstream aircraft the 99th Airlift Squadron flies, every Airman has the tools they need to accomplish the no-fail mission. After that, the success of SAM Fox and indeed American diplomacy rests on the backs of the Airmen assigned.
"Every single one of our Airmen is here for a reason, because they’re incredible Airmen. They don’t just move people and stuff, they give the President of the United States options," said Eaton. “Everything this wing does is woven into the fabric of America and of its history.”
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| Date Taken: | 02.08.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2017 09:56 |
| Story ID: | 222900 |
| Location: | NAVAL AIR STATION SOUDA BAY, GR |
| Web Views: | 932 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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