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.

(ANN salutes Staff Sgt. Carlos Diaz, US Central Command Air Forces)

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