Air power key to many 2005 successes

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alicia Prakash
  • U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  More than 75,000 Airmen rotated in and out of the theater to 12 locations during 2005 and helped coalition forces take part in historic events and record-breaking accomplishments.

From ensuring millions of people in Iraq and Afghanistan had the opportunity to vote, to providing humanitarian aid following the 7.6 earthquake in Pakistan -- Combined Forces Air Component Command’s effect on these world-changing events has been immense, Air Force officials said.

In December, 8 million Iraqis voted for a national assembly. Along with Afghanistan’s national assembly elections in September, neither could have happened without air power, officials said. Command aircraft deterred ground attacks during both elections and post-election activity.

The command’s air power arsenal includes fighters, tankers, bombers, reconnaissance and unmanned aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, British Royal Air Force and various coalition partner countries. The aircraft provide close air support, gather intelligence, provide troop and equipment transport and refuel aircraft throughout the theater, which covers 27 countries and is 5,400 miles long.

During 2005, command aircraft flew more than:

-- 13,000 close-air-support sorties.

-- 6,000 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties.

-- 12,500 tanker sorties.

-- 50,870 airlift sorties.

Air mobility aircraft -- C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and other cargo carriers -- broke many flying records, including:

-- Dec. 20: record number of passengers moved in one day -- more than 4,700.

-- Sept.: record number of passengers moved in one month -- 98,100.

-- Feb. 27: record amount of cargo transported in one day -- 1,115 tons.

-- March: record amount of cargo transported in a month -- 21,600 tons.

“The efforts of our airlift crews and aerial porters allow us to efficiently and safely get our folks and their equipment where they’re needed to fight the (war on terrorism,)” said Brig. Gen. Buddy Reed, director of mobility forces in the theater.

The passenger movement included troops on rest and recuperation, intratheater travel, and deploying and returning passengers.

Command Airmen also helped train the Iraqi Air Force, which flew its first all-Iraqi aircrew C-130 mission from Ali Base in southern Iraq to Al Muthana Air Base outside of Baghdad. The ultimate goal is for the Iraqi Air Force to be self reliant with the capabilities to maintain domestic order and deter, detect and defeat external threats to Iraq’s national interest, officials said.

“Looking back on the challenges and accomplishments of the past year, Airmen can all be proud of what they’ve done in Southwest and Central Asia. Each one has in some way impacted the lives of coalition servicemembers across the AOR and helped build a brighter, safer future for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan III, who commands Combined Forces Air Component Command.

When the massive earthquake shook Pakistan, the command worked nonstop organizing the transportation of emergency workers and more than 10 million pounds of relief supplies such as food, water, medical materials, clothing and construction equipment on 58 C-130s, 45 C-17s and 54 contracted aircraft.

“Airmen can be proud of the massive lifesaving effort many of them supported in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Pakistan,” General Buchanan said. “In our ally’s hour of need, we were able to reach out and help, without skipping a beat in our combat operations. That success is a testament to their professionalism and commitment.”

Airdrops continued to play a large role in civic aid and troop resupply in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 197,000 pounds of troop resupply were airdropped throughout Iraq. In Afghanistan, more than 578,000 pounds of civic aid and nearly 1.3 million pounds of troop resupply were airdropped.

“As we look to the coming year, it will undoubtedly be filled with a variety of both predictable and unpredictable challenges and changes. I expect us to meet and surmount them as we have all others along the way and could not be more proud to be your commander,” General Buchanan said.