Photo By Staff Sgt. Paul Helmig | U.S. Airmen with the 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois National Guard, board a C-130...... read more read more
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WUNSTORF AIR BASE, Germany – The C-130 Hercules aircraft operations led by the 182nd Airlift Wing (AW), Illinois Air National Guard, concluded as over 440 U.S. Airmen from 11 states and Puerto Rico have redeployed out of Wunstorf Air Base, Germany.
The multifaceted exercise involved various types of missions on the ground and throughout German airspace, challenging Airmen to complete mission essential tasks to enhance their Multi-Capable Airmen (MCA) skills and aggressively testing the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) mission capabilities of the C-130 Hercules aircrafts.
The C-130s were a vital part of exercise Air Defender 2023 operations, not just at Wunstorf Air Base, but throughout air bases across Germany and beyond.
The C-130 operations led by Col. Rusty Ballard, commander of the 182nd AW and the C-130 detachment component at Wunstorf Air Base, played a major role in exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23). The C-130 Hercules aircraft impact and contributions were felt at air bases across Germany, according to Ballard.
“The C-130s here, operating out of Wunstorf were really the backbone of the exercise, because the fighters could not even operate or go into their [Composite Operations Areas]to do their exercises if they didn’t have C-130s getting their cargo there,” said Ballard. “It’s a pleasure for me to be here to see what the C-130s are doing; to see all the different operations we can conduct other than just tactical airlift.”
One objective for the C-130 was enhancing the ACE operation capabilities. An ACE mission performed during AD23 required Airmen to refuel an A-10 Thunderbolt from a C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 182nd AW.
According to the tactical operations center at Wunstorf Air Base, the 182nd AW oversaw 345 C-130 missions during exercise AD23. The 351 hours of tactical airlift missions included transporting 1,308 personnel, more than 1.3 million pounds of cargo, plus 524 troops and 13,400 pounds of cargo were airdropped in German airspace over the two-week period.
“The 182nd’s orange tail on our C-130 aircraft was so important at AD23 because we held a vast amount of leadership roles during the exercise,” said Master Sgt. Jennifer Brown, an aviation resource management specialist with the 182nd AW and in the C-130 detachment’s tactical operations. “As the lead C-130 planning unit, we spearheaded highly trained and skilled individuals which directly contributed to the success of AD23. With the Peoria culture, we proved to the world that together we can execute any task thrown our way!”
Beyond the tactical airlift missions, Airmen with the 182nd AW were also involved in the maintenance of C-130 Hercules aircraft, fueling of various types of aircrafts, medical care for Airmen, ensuring all aircrews had flight and safety equipment, and providing connectivity through cyber communication operations systems.
Exercise AD23, the largest multinational air forces redeployment air exercise in history since the inception of NATO, afforded the Air National Guard the opportunity to showcase mission-ready Airmen who safeguard the homeland, serve our communities, and are prepared to execute global operations.
“My biggest takeaway from Air Defender 23 is that I thought I knew what we were capable of before this exercise,” said Brown. “But coming here and executing it, I realize how much stronger we are when we’re together. The relationships that we built with our NATO and allied partners, and the bonds that we created are priceless.”
Though they were the lead C-130 unit at Wunstorf Air Base, 182nd AW leadership acknowledges it could not be done alone. It was a collective effort between C-130 units and their personnel while integrating with their allies to successfully perform the required tasks at AD23.
More than 40 Airmen representing the 182nd AW supported the operation at Wunstorf Air Base during AD23.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the 182nd Airlift Wing, because we really were the lead unit for Air Defender 23 for the C-130s,” said Ballard. “We have our maintenance group commander, operations group commander, C-130 tactics, our IDO, wing commander here as the OIC for the C-130 operation. And we brought that, the Peoria way, all the way across the world, and we’re able to collaborate with 16 different units with all these different variants and make it happen.”
| Date Taken: | 07.04.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.04.2023 00:55 |
| Story ID: | 448505 |
| Location: | WUNSTORF AIR BASE, DE |
| Web Views: | 250 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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