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Reach for the sky

Photo By Sgt. Mitchell Austin | U.S. Marines with Marine Transport Squadron Detachment (VMR DET) Iwakuni completes a...... read more read more

MCAS IWAKUNI, JAPAN

07.19.2021

Story by Cpl. Mitchell Austin

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni

U.S. Marines with Marine Transport Squadron Detachment (VMR DET) Iwakuni spent their afternoon flying a UC-12W (C-12) over the archipelago of Japan on a passenger mission to transport two military personnel on July 19, 2021.
“Due to the geographic scope of the Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) and the on-going global pandemic, Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (H&HS), MCAS Iwakuni has relied upon C-12 aircraft for time-sensitive logistical support to over twelve countries in the Western Pacific Theater,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Hutchison, the Commanding Officer of H&HS.
The C-12 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6a-60A turboprop engines that can deliver a total payload of up to 7,755kg and has a range of 2,345 nautical miles. With a full tank of fuel, a C-12 has about seven hours of flight time, depending on the type of cargo and passengers being loaded, and can carry a total of two pilots and nine passengers.
“With the C-12 being fairly reliable and robust for a light and affordable platform, the Marine Corps and the Department of the Navy use it regularly,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Douglas Murray, the transport aircraft commander. “For the VMR DET, our mission is high priority transportation of passengers and cargo. The C-12 allows us the opportunity to travel to more places compared to other aircraft that can’t due to their size.”
In the past year, VMR DET supported the transport of coronavirus testing supplies and medical personnel. During the initial months of the pandemic, most of the testing in the Pacific was conducted in both Korea and at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, where VMR DET would transport test samples on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. It was important to get test results back in a timely manner to isolate any positive cases to the base population healthy and operationally ready.
When asked about her role as a transport air crewman with the VMR DET, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Taylor Allmond said “I enjoy my job because it has given me the opportunity to travel more during my time in Japan. I have been to Korea, Guam, Iwo Jima, and many areas in Japan. I’m able to support and help others in my community to get where they need to go. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that I make an impact towards the air station.”
INDOPACOM relies on aircraft similar to the C-12 as part of contingency response plans in support of the National Defense Strategy and the Commandant’s Planning Guidance to enable Marines to sustain fleet operations and naval campaigns across the INDOPACOM AOR.
Missions like these are crucial to sustaining fleet operations and naval campaigns across the INDOPACOM region, making the C-12 a key aircraft in logistic support.