2022 in Review: NAVSTA Rota Air Operations

SPAIN

12.15.2022

Courtesy Story

Naval Station Rota, Spain

The United States military must be ready at a moment’s notice around the globe. The logistics of moving the required equipment and personnel to the right place at the right time is an often overlooked consideration.
One potential answer is the multimodal operation: a complex and demanding movement requiring seamless participation between multiple Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota departments and tenant commands as well as joint partners.

A multimodal evolution transports cargo by multiple means in the most timely and efficient manner. The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) initiates the operation with the aim to balance the cost of transportation versus the timeliness, practicality, and necessity of delivering various strategic assets. Various branches of service as well as contractors work to determine the best flow of transportation. Overlooking no asset, they combine resources to develop the fastest and most efficient route.
For years, NAVSTA Rota has played an instrumental part in this logistical challenge boasting a port, airfield, and U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) capabilities. Its unique geographical location is the perfect middle ground between North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

"In multimodal operations, shipping each cargo load via air from the U.S. to the forward-operating location would have meant transiting the Atlantic many times costing a large amount of money, man hours, and wear and tear on aircraft," said Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Paul Colambo. "A far more effective way of delivering the equipment is to load it onto a singular cargo ship, sail them to a port close to the destination, and then fly them to their final destination."

Using various transportation modes is even more effective when dealing with enormous cargo loads. Ahead of the operation, logisticians plan the cargo ship transportation so that the shipment is immediately loaded onto waiting aircraft. The more cargo that can loaded into one aircraft, the less flights are required – making the U.S. Air Force C-5M and C-17 Globemaster the preferred air frames for the movements.

However, the cargo has quite a journey before arriving at the ramp of a waiting aircraft. First, the cargo must manifested, or identified and inventoried, by the sender. The cargo is then transported, typically by land or air to a port where the U.S. Navy takes control of it. The cargo is then loaded onto a ship headed for NAVSTA Rota, Spain.

Once unloaded from the ship and before being loaded onto the aircraft, a final inspection is conducted by a joint inspection team.

"No cargo is loaded on an aircraft unless it has been inspected for air worthiness, an important safety measure for successful cargo transportation," said Rick Irby, Rota’s Air Terminal Manager. “After all, loose cargo is lost cargo.”

Once deemed airworthy, the cargo is loaded and airlifted to its final destination. To aid in a rapid turnaround, NAVSTA Rota’s experts from Louis Berger Aircraft Services load the cargo into each aircraft enabling an efficient and expedient transfer.

"This practice adds to the efficiency of the air bridge,” said Cmdr. John Caldecutt, air operations officer at NAVSTA Rota. “Keeping aircraft and aircrews moving faster towards their final destination."

• Date Taken: 12.15.2022
• Date Posted: 12.22.2022 10:50
• Story ID: 435731
• Location: ES