Incirlik hub delivers cargo to warfighters

  • Published
  • By Capt. Denise Burnham
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (USAFENS) --  Ever since cargo hub operations began June 1, the workload here has increased more than ten times its previous amount. The eight-week old mission has moved almost 20,000 tons of cargo into theater.

At Incirlik, the 728th Air Mobility Squadron, in concert with the 385th Expeditionary Air Group, has shipped so much cargo to Iraq that, if measured, it would be 20 miles long and equal approximately 15,800 Honda Accords, according to Lt. Col. Scott Gericke, 728th AMS director of operations. However, transporting the cargo is the responsibility of the 385th AEG.

The 385th AEG is comprised of the 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The 817th was primarily conducting their direct delivery mission from Germany. When the Incirlik cargo hub opened, they transitioned the heart of that operation here.

“We can move about twice as much stuff now using the same amount of assets,” said Maj. Rob Frink, 728th air mobility control center flight commander and assistant operations officer. “Our job here is to move as much cargo as possible, as efficiently and quickly as possible to the warfighter.”

Once the cargo arrives at Incirlik, it is loaded on various C-17 Globemaster IIIs for transport to locations downrange, also known as the “box” or “sandbox” because of the terrain and hot weather.

“Just a few months ago we were moving a ton of cargo through Charleston to Germany and then transporting it down to the box,” he continued. “Now that the operation has moved to Incirlik we can do two trips in one crew-duty day instead of one with the same number of (aircraft) tails.”

Previously, when the mission was located at Rhein-Main AB, Germany, each C-17 could only make one mission per day. From here, the C-17s are able to make two sorties per day without refueling in-flight. By moving the cargo hub to Incirlik, the workload has gone from 12 sorties per month to more than 250.

“It’s much busier here now, and much more mission-focused,” said Capt. Aaron Scheer, 728th aerial port flight commander. “It’s more exciting and dynamic because it changes day-to-day.”

“Since the cargo hub started, we’ve had a mix of active duty, Reserve and Guard,” he continued. “Our augmentees are a vital part of the mission.”

The staff at the aerial port is charged with managing all the cargo coming and going out of Incirlik. The troops work out on the flight line, often working 12 to 14 hour days out in the sun. It is a twenty-four hour manned operation.

A large part of the operation is being done by the aircraft services element. The air terminal operations element plans loads; what will specifically go on each aircraft. The passenger services element perform fleet services on each aircraft and bring out the staircase trucks. The aircraft services element is charged with maintaining and loading the cargo on the aircraft.

Personnel use 60K Tunner Loaders that can carry several pallets at once. The loader is a long, motorized dock which aligns flush with the C-17 and cargo is moved on or off the plane. The 10K forklifts feed cargo on or off the aircraft, or put it into the cargo yard.

Last week, the 728th AMS moved about 1,800 tons of cargo.

“I like seeing the people I work with make a difference in world events,” said Captain Scheer. “I also like going out and seeing different pieces of cargo and knowing how important each one is. You’ll see a lot of add-on armor, a very heavy armor which is being placed on vehicles to protect them downrange. I’ve seen a lot of washers, vehicle parts and tires.”

The responsibility of transporting the cargo rotates between Charleston, McChord, McGuire Air Force Bases and the Air National Guard Unit from Jackson, Miss.

“The (aircraft) tails come from wherever we need to get them and they rotate roughly every two weeks,” said Major Frink. “Whatever tails Air Mobililty Command has available, we’ll use.”

Twelve Air Mobility Control Center controllers are responsible for the control of all the aircraft coming in and out of Incirlik.

“My team in the AMCC coordinates approximately 40 aircraft movements a day,” said Major Frink. “They do all the command and control for the cargo hub mission, all the C-17s, all the transients that come through here, C-130s, C-5s and the Patriot Express, the contract aircraft. Basically any AMC mission that comes through Incirlik is commanded and controlled by the AMCC crew.”

“I am very proud of every member of the 728th AMS permanent party, Turkish and TDY. Additionally, we could not do what we do so well without the support of the 39th Air Base Wing. Together, we are making a difference for American policy in Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Kulas, 728th AMS commander.