One hundred fifty paratroopers from six countries poured forth from a pair of C-130Js and a C-17 over Germany during international jump week, an annual event hosted by the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base. “We practiced jumps into Alzey, Germany, to trade tactics, techniques, and procedures as well as build partnerships,” said Col. Mark Visconi, commander of Ramstein’s 435th Contingency Response Group, in an Aug. 16 base release. A C-17 from the multinational Heavy Airlift Wing at Pápa AB, Hungary, joined C-130Js from Ramstein’s 37th Airlift Squadron for the jumps. “Our procedures within the aircraft are different, but all static-line parachutes are mostly the same. You just jump out and count to four,” said SSgt. Tyler Buckingham, the non-commissioned officer in charge of air operations. Parachutists from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, jumped alongside Air Force and Army personnel during the exercise, which concludes on Aug. 17. (Ramstein report by A1C Trevor Rhynes)
The Air Force wants more companies able to produce its new, multi-use, anti-radar missile that one expert says will prove vital in any future peer conflict and would be in high demand for the war in Iran if stocks were available now.