New mission arrives at Incirlik

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Switzer
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) --  A new mission kicked off here recently with the arrival and departure of C-17 Globemaster IIIs carrying cargo to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The new mission, which works on a “hub and spoke” concept, calls for cargo to come into the base from Charleston Air Force Base, S. C., and be transferred to several locations in Iraq, said Lt. Col. Jim Burton, 728th Air Mobility Squadron operations officer.

The cargo hub mission moved to Incirlik from Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, in an effort to conserve Air Force resources, he said.

“It’s a fuel and flying time issue,” Colonel Burton said. “It is more efficient for the C-17 because the cargo is delivered closer to Iraq without going to Iraq itself. By moving it here, it is possible to move more cargo with fewer planes.”

The C-17s, based out of Charleston, will be rotating in and out every two weeks or so, the colonel said. Although right now the mission is currently supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, it has the ability to expand to support Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes Afghanistan.

“It’s primarily what we call ‘general cargo,’” Colonel Burton said. “It is for sustaining operations in Iraq -- things like lubrication oil, parts for different things and a lot of add-on armor -- things people need to keep their mission going.”

And while the cargo flying out of here is keeping the mission going, it also means an increase of the support systems for the people who work on and with the aircraft stationed here, as well as an increase in aircrews and maintainers supporting the new operation, Colonel Burton said.

“The aircrews will be here for around two weeks at a time, and maintainers will be here for anywhere between 30 and 120 days,” he said. “More people on base means there is more workload to support.”

Several 39th Services Squadron programs are expanding to handle the extra workload.

“Most personnel will be housed in main base lodging with a few in Turkish air force lodging. When those places are filled the remaining people will be lodged in Tin City,” said Maj. Michael Platt, 39th SVS commander. “Tin City is an area of prefabricated buildings that can hold a great number of people should the need arise.” (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service)