T
he C-17 crew from McChord AFB, Wash., thought it had flown its last Antarctic mission for this year’s Winter Fly-in, but they had to hold in place for a special aeromedical evacuation. At Christchurch, New Zealand, the McChord airlift crew from the 304th Expeditionary Squadron picked up another contingent from McChord, a medical team from the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, and flew back to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, reports photojournalist TSgt. Shane Cuomo. The medevac team, which had been in Christchurch on a routine training flight, converted the C-17 from cargo to the medical mission, which would transport a patient that required surgery within 48 hours.
The Air Force is planning to spend $2.19 billion over the next five years to acquire new C-37 jets for transporting military and civilian leaders. That’s on top of another $1.17 billion in projected funding for the VC-25B “Air Force One” replacement.