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)