Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo | Balad, Iraq -- Six 1,200 pound bundles of water and MREs are dropped off a C-130...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Carlos Diaz
U.S. Central Command Air Forces
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq – Eight aircrew members from the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing used the joint precision air drop system for the first time over Iraq to deliver six 1,200-pound bundles on Feb. 16.
The Air Force developed the software and the Army developed the steerable chutes. The JPADS includes a wind sonde sensor, which is a 12-15 inch tube-shaped, beige-colored device that weighs no more than three pounds.
The new JPADS has two components, according to Lt. Col. David Kuenzli, 777th EAS commander.
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," Kuenzli said.
The colonel and his aircrew were ready to employ the JPADS.
"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," he said.
They were going to re-supply the ground troops with water and meals-ready-to-eat.
The aircrew charged with this responsibility was deployed from the 463rd Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. They're assigned to the 50th and 61st Airlift squadrons, respectively.
The 8-man crew consisted of Maj. Matthew Lewis, aircraft commander; Capt. Matthew Reece, pilot; 1st Lt. Matthew MacFarlane, co-pilot observer; Capt. Eric Fancher primary navigator; Capt. Kenny Bierman, instructor navigator; Tech. Sgt. Darrel Jackson, flight engineer; Tech. Sgt. Oliver Osborne, primary loadmaster and Staff Sgt. Daniel Maslowski, secondary loadmaster.
After a highly-detailed, intelligence briefing, the loadmasters departed to perform their mission preparation.
After their mission prep was complete, three aerial-porters from the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron loaded the bundles into the aircraft.
Once inside, a team of Army riggers began to secure and tighten the bundles.
"With this new system, we're using the technology in today's Army to keep everyone safe," said Warrant Officer 1 David Bird, an airdrop system technician assigned to the 368th Cargo Transportation Company.
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 70-90 feet per second and it's low-cost, fast and safe."
The 13-year Soldier said his team has been practicing its entire career.
"We're a close-knit family," he said about his 8-member rigger crew. "To see something like this go through is worth it for us."
Once the joint airdrop inspector Senior Airman Andrew Strazzinski inspected the load for safety and correct rigging procedures, the 14-year-old C-130 Hercules was ready for takeoff.
The bundles were airdropped using simple gravity; they 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 Sgt. Osborne, who's a formal training unit instructor in the 714th Training Squadron at Little Rock AFB, said.
As a career field instructor, he stressed the importance of communication.
"We had an open-line of communication," he emphasized. "Communication was the key because we listened to each other, backed each other up and kept two eyes on everything."
His young counterpart, 27-year-old Sgt. Maslowski, was eager to complete his first combat airdrop using the new JPADS.
"My adrenaline was pumping the entire time," he said. "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.
"Supporting the ground troops who really need these supplies is what it's all about," said Osborne.
Kuenzli was satisfied with the team's effort to successfully accomplish the airdrop mission.
"The entire teamwork from our maintenance team got this aircraft prepped and ready, and the aircrew members prepared for several weeks and studied hard to know and understand each other's jobs and roles," he specified.
Once the aircrew returned with an empty cargo compartment, it was obvious that the mission was a success.
Maslowski couldn't wipe the ear-to-ear grin off his face.
"This was so awesome, and I was ingrained in the moment," he joyfully said.
"We've paved the way for everyone else," exclaimed Osborne.
| Date Taken: | 02.20.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 02.20.2007 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 9185 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 67 |
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