Saving the New Galaxies

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

One mobility program the Air Force is not considering for cutback is the C-5M Super Galaxy upgrade, said Air Mobility Command chief Gen. Paul Selva. The C-5M is achieving “80 percent plus” reliability rates and is a “magnificent” performer operationally, he told reporters on Sept. 17 at AFA’s Air and Space Conference in National Harbor, Md. But to keep C-5Ms, Selva said he might have to accelerate retirement of the Air Force’s C-5As, which continue to struggle. Recently, the C-5M and C-5A were tasked with identical missions: moving an Army combat aviation brigade. Three C-5Ms did the job in 11 days. Meanwhile, the C-5As broke; all needed replacement, and the job was done well after the Army asked to have it completed, said Selva. The C-5M provides “increased capacity and better fuel efficiency, and it’s a much more reliable platform,” said Selva, and “we have not put that on the table” as a termination candidate.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org