Courtesy Photo | An LC-130 "Skibird" assigned to the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing...... read more read more
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STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Scotia N.Y.-- The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing began its annual support for National Science Foundation research in Antarctica launching the first of five LC-130 “Skibird" aircraft to Antarctica on October 19.
The LC-130 version of the C-130 Hercules is the largest aircraft in the world which is able to lane on snow and ice on skies. The aircraft are equipped with eight bladed propellers for the turbo-prop engines to provide additional power needed.
Throughout the four-month support season, a total of 420 Airmen will deploy in support of the mission.
The Airmen will be operating out of the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station, flying missions throughout the continent to move personnel and supplies, from November to March, as part of the U.S. militaries annual Operation Deep Freeze.
During Operation Deep Freeze the U.S. Navy and Air Force work together to resupply U.S. science stations in Antarctica.
Scientists conducting research during the Antarctica summer and shuttled to remote locations around the continent by the men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing.
“With a standard four month season of operating on the Antarctic Continent ahead of us, I am extremely confident in the men and women of the 109th and their ability to execute our specialized mission with the highest level of professional skill,” said Col. Christian Sander, the commander of the 109th Airlift Wing.
The 109th Airlift Wing flies plays a key role in supporting climate science research and other scientific activities conducted in Antarctica.
“This season is planned to resemble a ‘normal’ pre-COVID operating model where crews and support personnel are swapped out on a regular basis throughout the season. Some COVID mitigation precautions will be taken to minimize impacts in Antarctica,” said Major Shay Price, the wing’s chief of Antarctic operations.
The 109th’s primary mission for the 2022-2023 support season will be to support science efforts at three primary science camps outside the McMurdo area.
These are South Pole Station, Western Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Camp, and Siple Dome Camp. The wing will also support airlift between New Zealand and Antarctic, according to Price.
The remote field camps serve as aviation hubs and refueling points for travel throughout the continent as well as scientific research in West Antarctica. The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is a National Science Foundation research facility located at the geographic South Pole.
During the 2021-2022 support season, 109th Airmen completed 40 missions, transporting 204 passengers and 357,926 pounds of critical cargo to research stations located across Antarctica.
The crews also flew 24 missions between bases on the continent. Sixteen missions were flown between Christchurch, New Zealand and Antarctica. These included four medical evacuation missions.
“Deploying crews and support personnel are eager to return to a more robust airlift schedule similar to pre-pandemic deployments,” Price said.
The LC-130s flown by the 109th Airlift Wing operate as part of Operation Deep Freeze, the military support of the U.S. Antarctic Program.
The unique capabilities of the ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft make it the only one of its kind in the U.S. military able to land at the South Pole and remote interior locations in Antarctica and on the Greenland ice cap.
| Date Taken: | 10.24.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2022 16:20 |
| Story ID: | 431923 |
| Location: | SCOTIA, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 176 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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