U.S. Military increasingly using air lifts (AP spin: good news from Iraq)

[Barrett808]

U.S. Military increasingly using air lifts
By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press Writer
Thu Aug 3, 3:55 AM ET

CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq - The U.S. military is increasingly using air lifts instead of ground convoys to resupply troops to avoid the deadly roadside bombs that remain a major killer of American soldiers after more than three years of war.

The 3rd Corps Support Command, which supplies units throughout the country, has made air shipment its No. 1 priority since arriving last October at Camp Anaconda, 50 miles north of Baghdad.

"When we first got here, all of our stuff was shipped out by ground," said 1st Lt. Ted Mataxis, 29, of Raleigh, N.C., whose unit is responsible for assembling Humvee tires, engines and other repair parts for air transport.

Now "we're sending the majority of our stuff by air," he said. "The only stuff that goes out by ground are the big, bulky items."

In October, the command moved about 6,500 pallets — the platform that items are loaded onto — by air each month. The monthly figure now stands at about 16,000.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060803/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_air_convoys

[Kagemusha]

1. This fits with the stories about supply lines at risk.

With things in Lebanon it's easier than ever to find people willing to attack US troops personally...

[partylessinOhio]

2. Another error in judgment, shipping supplies via ground convoys to

give the jobs and funds to Halliburton. It was foolhardy but filled the pockets of Cheney and his "company."

[Dhalgren]

3. Wow! The Army admitting that it can't go overland anymore.

How on earth can the warpigs - Republicans and Democrats - continue to support this shit? Even if you love war and hate peace, you would have to figure that the cutting of losses at this point would be the correct move. Still too much money in it, I guess...

[ender]

7. yeh... airlifts arent economical long term.

and they will eventually start shooting them down.

not being able to run ground convoys means that we dont control the area.

not good.

[Herkdrvr]

17. This has been going on a long time

We have been airlifting supplies regularly ever since the start of the war. This is not "new"...just something the press decided to take notice.

Just FYI, the enemy has been trying to shoot down our airlifters from Day 1, and they have failed to succeed in downing a US Military transport airplane. We have good tactics and training.

[uppityperson]

9. Exactly. Good to see this from someone else too

My other thought was I wonder if this means they have capability to evacuate via air, IF needed.

Edited to add: More good news from Iraq! (music volume increases) Chocolate rations are up to 4.78 grams!

[leveymg]

4. Can you imagine how much it must cost to FedEx a Humvee to Baghdad?

Gawd, no wonder the Iraq War is going to end up costing us $2 trillion.

[Herkdrvr]

18. It's not FedEx, it's Air Mobility Command

Most ground vehicles are still brought in via ground. There are still convoys. But most PEOPLE are brought in/out via airlift.

[saigon68]

23. Via airlift-- seen that before

It will end this way

[izzie]

5. Sure does not sound very safe for the men

In fact things are really sounding crazy in the Middle East for any Western military.

[bemildred]

6. I believe it's been that way for years.

I certainly remember stories a year or two back to the same effect.

[Herkdrvr]

19. You would be correct

[kurth]

8. "We will terminate terrorism in this year" - Iraqi President Jalal Talaban

and the almighty U.S. military can't even drive a truck on Iraqi roads.

[Herkdrvr]

31. They drive lots of trucks on the roads

The Army still moves alot of gear across Iraq via roadways.

[Pithlet]

10. kick

[wellst0nev0ter]

11. U.S. Military increasingly using air lifts (Convoys Too Dangerous)

CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq - The U.S. military is increasingly using air lifts instead of ground convoys to resupply troops to avoid the deadly roadside bombs that remain a major killer of American soldiers after more than three years of war.

The 3rd Corps Support Command, which supplies units throughout the country, has made air shipment its No. 1 priority since arriving last October at Camp Anaconda, 50 miles north of Baghdad.

<snip>

In October, the command moved about 6,500 pallets — the platform that items are loaded onto — by air each month. The monthly figure now stands at about 16,000.

The increase of air shipments means about 33,000 vehicles and 71,000 troops who would have been driving convoys around Iraq's dangerous highways have been taken off the roads.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060803/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_air_convoys

[Botany]

12. And to say that the good news of iraq is not getting out.

So we can not drive on the roads, the country is in civil war,
Baghdad had 1,200 murders in July, our troops have had to
stay beyond their "tours", and the President of Iraq is afraid of
coup.




Feb. 7, 2003: “It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.”

[0007]

27. Feb. 7, 2003: The cost will be around one or two billion at the most

Aug:3, 2006: You'd find it hard to find anywhere in print that I said things would be rosy in Iraq.

[Herkdrvr]

29. Is that the cost of all the aircraft operations?

Most of the airlift aircraft the US has in the middle east supports both Iraq AND Afghanistan. Granted, because most of the troops and assets are in Iraq, many of the missions fly into Iraq...but Afghanistan is pretty much landlocked and air transportation is the only way they get things into Afghanistan for the most part, so OEF eats up alot of air assets.

[maxsolomon]

13. that CAN'T be cheap

71,000/135,000 troops = 52% of our forces.

dear neocon idiots: shit or get off the pot.

[Herkdrvr]

20. Statistics shown are for a particular time period

Basically, anyone deploying to, or from, Iraq travels in and out of the country via air. Very rarely are personnel brought into country via a ground convoy.

[mike_c]

14. a presidency of dunces....

Imagine the incredibility of a newspaper headline reading: "Iraqi rebels deny land transportation access to American occupation forces." Yet that is exactly what they are doing. Is it Tet, yet?

[Botany]

16. But we can still drive in the Green Zone can't we?

I wonder how the new embassy and "long term" bases are going?

[Herkdrvr]

22. The article didn't say that

Nothing in that article stated that land transportation has been denied. There are still LOTS of land convoys going on every day. Its just that most of the personnel are moved via air, and when able, cargo is moved via air...especially priority stuff, like medical supplies, etc.

[Cooley Hurd]

15. Almost all of the equipment in Iraq (especially helos) is beyond TBO*

*TBO = time between overhaul.

The desert environment (i.e. sand) is BRUTAL on the US's equipment, especially helicopters. They're already over-extended, and now they're being asked to do more. I'm sure we'll hear the number of accidents involving helicopters increase dramatically...:(

[Herkdrvr]

21. Where did you get this info?

First off, military aviation doesn't use a "TBO". There are phase inspections, ISO inspections, and depot maintenance, as well as the daily BPO inspections. Military aviation doesn't use "TBO". And yes, everything over there is still maintained within standards. They don't fly unsafe aircraft.

[Cooley Hurd]

24. Check this out:

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=34639&dcn=todaysnews

Military equipment woes prompt call for larger bridge fund
By Megan Scully, CongressDaily

To resolve budgetary woes facing the Army and Marine Corps, House appropriators want to add at least $10 billion to the supplemental bridge fund for military operations contained in the fiscal 2007 Defense spending bill that the House passed in June.

<snip>

Army readiness is being driven to these low levels, in part, by a lack of equipment for training and deployment overseas," Obey and Murtha wrote in their letter to Bush. "Yet, thousands of the Army's main fighting vehicles and trucks are lined up at repair depots around the country, sitting in disuse for lack of maintenance funding."
</snip>

That's where I got the info from. As far as "TBO," I'm a licenced pilot - civilian, but an aviator nonetheless. If they don't have to $$$ for maintenence, then how can they keep up with the ISO inspections? They've been shortchanged in every other way by the DOD.:(

[Herkdrvr]

25. That article is about trucks

I'm a licensed pilot too...commercial pilot, multi-engine/instrument/helicopter. I'm also a 2,000 hour C-130 pilot. I've only canceled a flight for maintenance a handful of times out of the hundred or so missions I've flown over there. When you talk about "they", you're also talking about me. Our airplanes are old, but they are doing fine.

As for the Army's ground vehicles, I also know (having been in the Army Guard for 8 years prior to flying for the USAF) that they Army's "maintenance" program for its ground vehicles has always left something to be desired. I remembered back in 1992-1996 our trucks breaking down regularly. Add the stress of combat, I can see how that would be a train wreck waiting to happen. They Army has always seen ground vehicles as somewhat disposable...so when they get them all torn up, they run around and wonder "what will we do?".

As for the aircraft in theater...they are maintained to standards, or better. And military aircraft don't use a "TBO". That's great if you're flying a civilian Cessna, where the only main system is the engine or prop. On a Herk, they have to maintain 4 turbine engines, props, hydraulic systems, electrical systems (more than just a battery, alternator and wiring...4 x engine generators, GCUs, APU/ATM, BSS, etc) and then some. Considering the aircraft I've flown over there range from 1961 models to 1974 models, they are doing well. Last rotation (Feb to June) I maintenance canceled maybe 3 times...and one time we shut an engine down and returned and found out it was just an oil pressure gauge that went bad, but the engine itself was fine. So really, only about twice did I break for a "real" problem.

[Marie26]

26. Those airlifts will come

in handy when we have to airlift American officials out of a civil war.

[Herkdrvr]

30. Just my view

Reading these threads, I'm not smiling when people make a joke or political hay about what I personally do while deployed overseas. We airlift many things, from routine (tires, construction supplies, etc) to very important things such as wounded soldiers/civilians, medical supplies, troops coming home and the remains of those who have fallen.

You may think it's something to joke about and sneer about. But personally, whether or not I feel the war is a political mess (it is), the mission of the military airlift in the Middle East is one that saves lives, bottom line. Whether it's saving them directly (ie, aeromedical airlift) or saving them indirectly (delivering supplies on time and saving drivers from having to do it), I'm very glad I get the chance to do it.

Just to let you know, it's not "safe" flying out there. No, it's not the same as being an infantryman in Ramadi either. But to date I've personally watched two IR missiles tracking my aircraft. I've seen small arms muzzle fire that I couldn't really tell if it was directed at us or not many, many times. I've been rolling down the runway at airfields before while the base got mortared. So far I haven't had this problem, but many of my friends have been bunker diving while rounds landed on the ramp. Thankfully our aircraft are equipped to defeat the threats, and our crews are trained to react successfully.

[Supersedeas]

28. Friendly skies / Deadly roads .... nothing to see here

[markam]

32. Of course this is good news

Don't you remember the Berlin airlift? We will save berlin (Iraq) from the godless commies (islamofacists).

Ich bin ein Iraqi.

Of course Shrub isn't fit to wash JFK's underwear.

[cap]

33. dien bien phu

I am afraid... some of our tactics are merely leaving soldiers in certain towns in stockcades. I am afraid that the air lifts will not be enough to supply them. As the enemy controls more land, he will be emboldened and our troops will be abandoned.

[Herkdrvr]

34. It's not like that at all

Over the past 3 years, I've noticed that many of the locations we fly to have calmed down considerably from what they used to be. That's not so true of Baghdad, Ramadi and Ba'Qubah. For the most part, we've gained control over much of the land, rather than lost it. But like I said, certain areas are still very difficult situations.

The airlifts are merely another way to move supplies at a lower risk. We haven't abandoned ground convoys, just transferred most critical movements and passenger movements via air to reduce risk.

[Herkdrvr]

35. JFK?

I hope you know that the Berlin airlift was in 1948, well before JFK's time. Unless you are referring to the quote.