Altus deploys in 51-ship exercise

  • Published
  • By Michael Fletcher
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing
ALTUS AFB, Okla. --  Altus C-17s conducted a low altitude approach over the Sooner Drop Zone west of Altus, Okla., Tuesday. Six C-17As and six KC-135R aircraft from Altus Air Force Base launched within an hour window to participate in a Mobility Air Forces Exercise, part of a 51-airship tasking developed by U.S. Air Force Weapons School students at McGuire AFB, N.J., and Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.

"Altus tankers made up one-third of the entire tanker fleet and Altus supplied almost half of the C-17s that participated," said Col. Red Millander, 97th Operations Group commander and the airborne mission commander for all 51 aircraft. "This demonstrates once again that Altus Air Force Base is truly the heart of global mobility." 

After conducting air refueling with the six Altus KC-135s on AR track 312 high and low, the six Altus C-17s joined C-17s from McGuire, Charleston, Hickam and McChord Air Force Bases; 17 C-130s from Little Rock and Dyess AFBs to simulate airdrop of an Army airborne brigade.

Seventeen KC-135s from Altus, Fairchild, Robins, MacDill and McConnell AFBs conducted air refueling with the C-17s in this exercise demonstrating an Air Force distinctive capability - Rapid Global Mobility.

The air mission exercise represented a strategic brigade airdrop insertion scenario that, when fully executed, would put a brigade-size force of Army troops into enemy territory just days after being directed by senior military leaders.

"This exercise would not have been possible without the outstanding support from the A-team and all other supporting agencies on base," said Maj. Jeffrey R. Paget, 97th Operations Support Squadron tactics flight chief.