Base people, aircraft move from Hurricane Ivan’s path

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SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) --  As Hurricane Ivan creeps closer to the Gulf Coast, base officials in the region are preparing for the worst. National Hurricane Center officials predict it will hit Sept. 16.

Nearly 300 Air Force aircraft from eight installations have evacuated as of Sept. 15. Aircraft remaining at the installations are sheltered to protect them from storm damage. Evacuated bases are:

-- Duke Field, Fla.: C-130 Hercules evacuated to Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.

-- Eglin AFB, Fla.: Base people have evacuated; F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-15 Eagles moved to Dyess AFB, Texas, and Nellis AFB, Nev.

-- Fort Rucker, Ala.: Base people sent to Columbus AFB, Miss., and UH-1N Huey helicopters sent to Golden Triangle Regional Airport, Miss.

-- Hurlburt Field, Fla.: Base people have evacuated; AC-130 gunships, MC-130H Combat Talon IIs, MH-53M Pave Lows, MC-130P Combat Shadows, UH-1N and MI-8 helicopters, and two C-130s evacuated to Fort Campbell, Ky.

-- Keesler AFB, Miss.: Base people evacuated; WC-130s and C-130Js moved to Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.; C-21s moved to Scott AFB, Ill. Students and mission-essential people are in shelters.

-- Maxwell AFB, Ala.: C-130s sent to Little Rock.

-- Moody AFB, Ga.: HC-130s sent to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; HH-60G Pave Hawks sent to Fort Campbell; T-38 Talons sent to Barksdale AFB, La.; T-6A Texans sent to Millington, Tenn.

-- Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans: A-10 Thunderbolt IIs moved to Barksdale; F-15s moved to Luke AFB, Ariz.

-- Tyndall AFB, Fla.: MU-2 transports sent to Aiken Airport, S.C.; QF-4s and E-9s sent to Ellington Field, Texas; F-15s sent to Tinker AFB, Okla.; F/A-22 Raptors sent to Nellis.