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C-17 crew to test night-vision goggles on Deep Freeze mission

  • Published
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  In April Airmen from here will test using night-vision goggles for the first time on Deep Freeze missions to Antarctica. If successful, they could start flying missions to the southernmost continent year round.

Airmen in the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings deliver supplies to the National Science Foundation in Antarctica from August through February each year.

On April 11 a McChord C-17 crew will take off for the final mission of the season. One of the goals on the mission is to use night-vision goggles when landing and taking off from the ice runway.

Air Force reservists on the mission are Maj. Thomas Jensen, 97th Airlift Squadron; Maj. Charles Corrigan, 313th AS; Maj. Monty McDaniel, 728th AS; Chief Master Sgt. James Masura, 446th Operations Group; Senior Master Sgt. David Stutts, 313th AS; Senior Master Sgt. Lance Gustafson, 446th OG; and Master Sgt. Michael Steward, 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

"This mission would allow us to provide support for the National Science Foundation year round," said Lt. Col. Jim McGann, Operation Deep Freeze commander from the 62nd Operations Group. "McChord has been doing Operation Deep Freeze missions for more than 10 years now. With this successful mission, we will be able to ensure the increased effectiveness of the operation well into the future."

The U.S. military's support to Operation Deep Freeze began in 1955. Through this program, McChord Airmen provide airlift support in an extremely adverse environment, landing C-17 Globemaster IIIs on a six-foot thick ice runway, to deliver supplies to the National Science Foundation from August through February each season.

So far during the 2007-2008 season, McChord C-17s have flown 57 missions to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, from Christchurch, New Zealand, They delivered more than 3.1 million pounds of cargo and more than 2,800 passengers.

On the return missions from the frozen sea shelf of McMurdo, C-17 aircrews flew more than 850,000 pounds of cargo and 2,700 passengers back to Christchurch.

Colonel McGann said the runway used at McMurdo is much like landing on Puget Sound's Elliot Bay in Seattle, if Puget Sound were frozen solid.

"Despite the environment, our aircrews flew into, landing and off- and on-loading people and cargo in temperatures at times (minus 58 degrees F). We didn't miss a beat," said Colonel McGann. "But we still have one to go."

The final mission is scheduled to end April 21. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service from a 62nd AW news release)