C-130 Crew Drops Rations To Troops Using Advanced Parachute System
Eight aircrew members from the 332nd Air Expeditionary
Wing's 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used the joint precision
airdrop system (JPADS) for the first time over Iraq February 16, to
deliver six 1,200-pound bundles.
The new JPADS has two components, according to 777th EAS
commander Lt. Col. David Kuenzli. The Air Force-developed software
uses an advanced weather model to compute a very accurate release
point in the air. The Army's chutes are steered by a global
positioning system. When both components are combined, the airdrop
can be delivered from high altitudes of up to 25,000 feet.
"This gives us the ability to have the same or better
accuracy on the drop zone," Colonel Kuenzli said. "We want to be
able to show that we have this capability, and we're going out to
demonstrate that we can do this and keep the Army re-supplied."
The mission was to resupply ground troops with water and
MREs. The aircrew charged with this responsibility was deployed from
the 463rd Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, AR. They are
assigned to the 50th and 61st Airlift squadrons.
After a highly-detailed intelligence briefing, the
loadmasters departed to perform their mission preparation. Three
aerial port members from the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness
Squadron then loaded the bundles into the aircraft.
"With this new system, we're using the technology in
today's Army to keep everyone safe," said Warrant Officer David
Bird, airdrop system technician assigned to the 368th Cargo
Transportation Company.
Warrant Officer Bird detailed some of the advantages of
the new JPADS. "The recovery time is faster, the loads are easier to
download, the airdrop is faster because of the high velocity of 70
to 90 feet per second, and it's low-cost, fast and safe."
The bundles were airdropped once the aircraft was
positioned at a seven-degree-high nose drop angle. Using simple
gravity, the bundles slid off and the huge parachutes immediately
deployed.
"My job, as the primary loadmaster, was to make sure the
load goes out as advertised," said Tech. Sgt. Oliver Osborne,
primary loadmaster who is a formal training unit instructor in the
714th Training Squadron at Little Rock AFB.
"My adrenaline was pumping the entire time," added
secondary loadmaster Staff Sgt. Daniel Maslowski. "It was exciting
because I constantly kept doing more than one thing to stay ahead of
the game."
"This for me has peaked all other deployments; I
experienced first hand what we train for," he continued. "This was
so awesome, and I was ingrained in the moment."
"Supporting the ground troops who really need these
supplies is what it's all about," said Sergeant Osborne, an 18-year
Air Force member.
* * * * * *
Staff Sgt. Carlos Diaz, US Central Command Air
Forces.
