The California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing loaded three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and assorted equipment aboard a Russian civilian An-124 heavy transport aircraft for the unit’s deployment to Afghanistan. The Air Force’s C-17 fleet is fully engaged in Southwest Asia, so only one could support the 129th RQW on this deployment, reports Capt. Alyson Teeter. The C-17, flown and operated by Air Force Reservists from McChord AFB, Wash., transported the Air Guardsmen.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
