AIRLIFT: OUR LEGACY IN LOGISTICS

traditionally the word airlift has meant the transporting by air of anything but passengers and initially it was an awkward sometimes hodgepodge and always laborious business making the most of converted passenger planes but in the mid 50s a new look appeared on the airlift scene that revolutionized our early concept of air logistics both tactical and commercial it didn't just happen it was planned that way this is the story of modern airlift why we need it where it is now and where it's going with the c-130 hercules planning and method gave meaning to the word airlift introducing new but basic features which were necessary for a true airlifter and still are adequate compartment shape and size floor strength a built-in self-deployable cargo ramp truck bed height integral cargo handling and restraining provisions high flotation rough feel landing gear and self-sufficient ground servicing its primary mission to deliver men and equipment to their destination wherever it may be under any and all conditions for the hercules it was a mission accomplished with unparalleled performance and a record for safety maintenance and reliability still unequaled in the industry for the military it's performed as well in scores of demanding roles as a weather ship a patrol plane an aerial tanker a hurricane hunter hospital ship command post photo mapping aircraft ski ship assault transport particularly as a gunship 48 versions and 1400 planes later it has become known as the most versatile airlifter ever made providing an airlift lifeline of support that stretches around the world it's tackled earthquakes floods and famine flying in shelter food clothing and medicine wherever it's needed and flying out the sick and wounded no other airlifter has done more good for more people throughout the world because it was designed for cargo it adapted readily to its role as a country builder and is now being utilized by 37 different nations supplying the airlift of men machines and materials essential to emerging countries and expanding economies a true airlifter also has built-in design versatility and flexibility which allows for growth and though in production for nearly 20 years state-of-the-art improvements on the hercules have resulted in doubling its production rate to continue meeting the world's ever expanding modern airlift needs it resembles the original hercules only in external appearance powerful engines new radar and avionics systems and many other improvements allow today's new hercules to meet tomorrow's military mission requirements and to do it at tremendously less cost nor has the hercules even yet reached its full potential for on the boards are plans for further modifications which would enable it to effectively satisfy military stole requirements and not compromise its basic long-range airlift capability the reality of having an ever-present airlift capability which can provide superior mobility and an uninterrupted supply when needed is a fundamental objective for military effectiveness it can spell the difference between success and failure in any kind of military situation and in 1964 an additional capability for global inter-theater airlift support of our ground combat forces was provided by the c-141 star lifter the first fan jet designed specifically for cargo it retained all of the proven airlift features of the c-130 hercules and added a new dimension by reducing delivery time and cost per ton mile flying over 4 million hours in support of southeast asia and middle east contingencies the starlifter has become another mainstay of our strategic airlift force it's proved the value of quick airlift response over and over again with a remarkable job of aeromedical evacuation of our wounded troops from southeast asia as with the hercules humanitarian or disaster aid airlifts are no stranger to the star lifter recently and flooded pakistan when every minute counted for survival the c-141 saved countless lives by airlifting medical supplies and assistance food and clothing pesticides and fertilizer into devastated areas and today capitalizing on its design capability for growth a great plane may become even greater to further its airlift productivity the c-141's fuselage is being stretched in a prototype program by adding a 13-foot plug forward of the wing and a 10-foot plug after the wing extensive studies have shown that this 23-foot stretch will produce an optimum relationship of cost and performance while retaining the same operational features and dependable versatility of the basic c-141 for extended range an in-flight refueling capability will allow for flights up to 32 hours duration the airlift capability of the new c-141 is outstanding the stretch program would give the air force the equivalent of 90 additional c-141s without the usual recurring cost increases associated with the acquisition of a new fleet such as personnel spares and training its service life will be the same as that projected for the basic star lifter forty thousand hours a life expectancy lasting well into the 1990s in the late 60s with the development of larger ground weapons systems and widespread global commitments new demands were made on our airlift capabilities demands that were filled by the c5 galaxy largest aircraft in the world more capable and versatile even than its predecessors the c-130 and c-141 utilizing all of their proven airlifter features and adding a few of its own specifically designed for responsive worldwide airlift it provides quick deployment of all facets of our armed forces to any spot in the world and uninterrupted supply to troops in the field conceived by the u s air force as an essential and valuable instrument of free world global defense strategy it represents a truly unique resource of the us government but its dividends of unmatched operationally proven cargo airlift capabilities along with a remarkable alternate mission versatility now play a major role in our deterrent and defense strategies and as such the galaxy has taken on the proportions of a national asset as an instrument for peace no other country can match it this was proved most recently with an emergency airlift to the middle east when conditions there threatened to escalate into full-scale war the massive u s military airlift became necessary in order to re-establish a balance of power in the hopes of ending hostilities within hours of the decision to undertake the airlift operation the first of what became a steady stream of max c5 and c141 transports was loaded and airborne and the c5 proved again that it's the only aircraft in the world that can carry out-sized heavy armored equipment m48 battle tank the 155 millimeter howitzers m-60 main battle tanks in the round-the-clock effort fast turnaround times were essential and by the fifth day of activity mac crews were achieving turnarounds as low as 55 minutes on c141s and less than two hours on c5s in a 33-day period c-5s and c-141s airlifted 22 400 tons of badly needed supplies and equipment flying a total of 566 missions of 6 500 miles each no other nation has an airplane that can match this effort largely because of the c5s ability to airlift critically needed equipment which is too large or too heavy for any other airplane in the world this airlift operation dramatically demonstrated the readiness and capability of the u.s air force's military airlift command but besides keeping the peace this action and other exercises like it do even more they prove that the very capability of quick response air deployment of all our armed forces is in itself a deterrent to aggressors and it proves the feasibility of large-scale reductions of our overseas forces since they can be quickly airlifted any place in the world they may be needed this is the kind of airlift capability that makes a remote presence military posture workable no other airlifter has had such a dramatic effect on our defense strategies as the c5 and not just because of its size but because of its versatility to ensure its ability to perform any airlift mission anywhere it can be refueled in flight for extra global range when it's needed it needn't trade off cargo capacity for fuel and when equipment or supplies are needed in forward areas they can be rigged in forty thousand pound pallet loads for launching in a series of air drops it was this capability that led to its use as an air mobile platform for launching icbms a demonstration in support of the air mobile icbm basing concept after a short series of tests an unmodified c5 using its standard aerial delivery system successfully launched an eighty five thousand pound minuteman one missile the largest load ever air dropped the missile was provided with a first stage motor and enough propellant for a 10 second full thrust burn and a 20-second tail off this test utilizing the galaxy proved the feasibility of the air mobile icbm concept and it proved that with significantly few modifications c5 missile launchers could provide at realistic cost a new massive and flexible defense capability complementing our existing icbm defenses a capability unmatched by any other nation in an uncertain world we must certainly build and maintain a versatile airlift capability which can meet any demands that may be made upon it in providing just that no other airlifter can come even close to the c5 simulated air-to-air refueling demonstrations have proved it also as an outstanding candidate for air force tanker missions with minor modifications carrying at least twice as much fuel as current tankers and equipped with a centerline boom a c5 tanker cargo aircraft would provide maximum global mobility to the military airlift command force by refueling other c5s or c-141s without restricting or impacting its basic cargo airlift capability it could also refuel tactical air force fighters deploying to troubled areas in support of our remote presence policy c5 the versatile giant is the key to strategic missions of the future for our needs are continually growing and increasingly complex international pressures coupled with a limited availability of defense funds call for the greatest possible return on any investments in procurement and operation of our future defense systems and the c5 a single proven aircraft can adapt efficiently to satisfy three critical mission requirements cargo tanker and missile launcher and it can do it now at a minimum risk and minimum cost by using in being air force assets and capitalizing on existing tooling and existing logistic and operational support systems while the c5s commonality of design is reducing operating inventory and maintenance cost its varied capabilities will be providing increased flexibility in responding to ever-changing world conditions this then is our legacy of airlift logistics one that will continue to pay dividends for years to come dividends of capabilities that will be decisive in saving people four nations even our own you