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Charleston Reserve unit helps break C-17 flying record

  • Published
The largest formation of C-17 Globemaster IIIs from a single base took off this morning from here in a demonstration of the strategic airdrop capability of the Air Force.

Seventeen C-17s, assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 315th Airlift Wing,  took off at about 10:20 a.m. Previously, the largest C-17 formation consisting of aircraft and aircrew from a single base was 15 aircraft from McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

The C-17 formation conducted low-level training in the Charleston area before taking part in a massive airdrop at North Auxiliary Air Field, S.C.

Charleston aircrews fly daily missions worldwide supporting the war on terrorism.

On average, Charleston’s C-17s move more than 295 tons of cargo every day. About 45 percent of all air cargo bound for American warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan originates here.