Photo By Senior Airman Julian Atkins | A forklift drives cargo into the back of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft as Airmen...... read more read more
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LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. – Airmen from the 19th Airlift Wing and 913th Airlift Group returned from Bamboo Eagle 24-3, providing critical logistic support during the exercise and sustaining operations.
Focusing on enhancing the U.S. Air Force’s readiness for Great Power competition, the Air Combat Command-directed exercise was designed to execute and test Agile Combat Employment concepts taking place in locations spanning from western parts of the United States to locations over the eastern Pacific Ocean.
“Our 79-person team was in this exercise to provide tactical airlift in support of the Combat Air Force’s endeavors to maintain air superiority via ACE maneuvers,” said Capt. Logan Nadeau, 61st Airlift Squadron pilot and Mission Planning Cell Chief for the exercise. “If CAF needed any kind of logistic support, we were there to make it happen.”
The 19th AW sent four C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to Bamboo Eagle and played an auxiliary role in the exercise, providing operational support that showcased the necessity for tactical airlift and how it contributes to keeping the strategic advantage in the Indo-Pacific theater.
“Airlift is the only method of transportation in this environment that can provide speed and scale to support Joint users when transportation over land is impossible and sealift is too slow to provide meaningful sustainment over a short period of time,” said Maj. Brenden Small, 19th Operational Support Squadron Director of Staff and C-130J Weapons Officer and 19th AW lead for Bamboo Eagle.
The 61st AS performed numerous expeditionary skills, including aircraft-to-aircraft ground refueling, low-level flights and night landings using night vision capabilities. While the Air Force adapts to the evolving concept of AFFORGEN, aimed at enhancing readiness and performance in high-intensity scenarios, the C-130J remains a steadfast example of enduring tactical capabilities—even when performing outside of its typical functionality.
“Historically, C-130s have been used in conjunction with the Army, air dropping jumpers and equipment to support their ground maneuvers,” Nadeau said. “Air drops are our bread and butter, and despite not having a great demand for that during the exercise, we still pushed ourselves to deliver what was asked of us on target, on time.”
Little Rock AFB’s involvement not only highlighted the 61st AS’s ability to project all-domain combat power but showcased the 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron’s ability to perform under pressure, ensuring aircraft were ready to fly when needed.
The team provided 24-hour coverage for all C-130 support, including deploying a Maintenance Recovery Team to a remote location, successfully completing an engine change and returning an aircraft to service in under 24 hours. The 19th AMXS enabled the success of 37 missions during Bamboo Eagle.
“The moves we did were real-world, and were tasked to support actual operations, meaning that if we were unable to achieve mission success, that unit would have to make do without their equipment, personnel, fuel or weapons,” Small said. “Usually, we train to the tasks associated with this kind of mission support, but the overall operation is not impacted by our mission’s success or failure.”
As the Air Force reoptimizes for Great Power competition, the 19th AW’s participation in Bamboo Eagle proved the necessity of tactical airlift and directly supported Air Mobility Command’s initiatives aimed at enhancing joint force integration, enabling rapid redeployment and projecting all-domain combat power.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2024 17:31 |
| Story ID: | 478752 |
| Location: | LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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