Allen Army Airfield to save Air Force money, provide tactical training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFNS) --  Air Force officials here opened Allen Army Airfield Sept. 29 to give Elmendorf Air Force Base C-17 Globemaster III aircrews a closer airstrip to practice assault landings and saving the military thousands of dollars.

Before the opening of Allen Army Airfield, located about three miles north of Fort Greely, Alaska, the nearest assault landing strip Elmendorf AFB pilots could practice on was near McChord AFB, Wash., which is about a six-hour round-trip costing $100,000 worth of fuel. 

Aircrews from the 517th Airlift Squadron and the Alaska Air National Guard 249th Airlift Squadron made about 20 of these trips last year, costing nearly $2 million. Therefore, only after about five years the $11 million assault strip will pay for itself.

"We are excited to expand our C-17 training operations even further at Allen Army Airfield," said Col. Thomas Bergeson, the 3rd Wing commander. "This will provide trained and ready aircrew ready for the joint fight which translates into increased combat capability."

Lt. Col. Andy Hird, the 517th AS commander, explained the assault landing as taking a 500,000-pound jet and slamming it down on the ground at six feet per second to land it within the first 500 feet of a 3,500-foot runway.

"It's probably the most dangerous thing we do; landing at a steep approach with a heavy aircraft on a short narrow runway," Colonel Hird said. "If we don't practice that, then it can have serious consequences or mishaps."

Without the training, if the pilots were to go in a deployed location and not execute this landing, then the mission could be held back, he said.

"Allen Army Airfield will not just be used for assault landings," said Maj. Todd Cotsman, the 3rd Operation Support Squadron director of staff. "We can practice many high- and low-altitude approaches. Also what we can't practice in the Anchorage area because of commercial air traffic, we will be able to do at Allen Army Airfield."

"Allen Army Airfield will be reducing risk by expanding tactical training capability," Colonel Hird said. "After all, we need to train as we fight."