The Ramstein workhorse

16 rolls-royce.com the magazine DEFENCE

Ramstein Air Base, Germany – the The Ramstein C-130Js of the 86th Air Wing may be the most productive, versatile “jack of all workhorse trades” aircraft in the US Air Force fleet.

the magazine ISSUE 145 17 he airlifters can train and deploy without hesitation.” paratroops, transport a fire truck, C-130Js will unload personnel or cargo from T helicopter, boat or other vehicles, the back ramp, then take off again and head to evacuate wounded as a flying the next stop on their journey. A tour can last up hospital, or serve as a troop carrier, cargo to several weeks before returning to Ramstein. aircraft or humanitarian responder. The speedy But for all the missions the 86th performs, crews can switch tasks in mid-mission, flying one of them tops all – air evacuation of cargo in, and troops out, for example, wounded soldiers on the ground, said Colonel transforming their aircraft from one mode to Raymond E. Briggs, commander of the 86th another in 45 minutes or less. Maintenance Group. They do all of that with a minimal flight crew “We might be down in Africa hauling stuff or of three or four, managing a geographical doing a mission. All of a sudden, we have to do responsibility that spans much of Europe and an air evac,” he explained. “We have to get them Africa from their base in southern Germany. out.” The new “J” models added length to the cargo hold, it carries more weight, takes off quicker and lands shorter with reverse propeller capability. Its cargo compartment is designed for quick reconfiguration, making it an ideal platform for anything from palletised-cargo movement to emergency medical evacuation. For the men and women of the 86th Air Wing, is considered job No. 1. But that was not the original mission of the 86th – which was created during World War II as a light bomber group and transitioned to

It allows our mechanics to train ‘hands on’ with the tech rep. They are helping us out every day, giving us capability I wouldn’t have otherwise. Col Raymond E Briggs, Commander of the 86th Maintenance Group

And that’s not all. With a rugged airframe several different duties with fighter aircraft, and four powerful Rolls-Royce AE 2100 before becoming an wing in 1993. turboprop engines, the 86th’s C-130Js get in and The new airlift unit began flying with C-130E out of places that other larger airlifters simply aircraft and at one point, had 19 of the type in can’t. Short, unimproved air strip? No problem its fleet. The legacy warhorses, powered by – let a little air out of the tyres to soften the Rolls-Royce T56 engines, performed well for landing, and the C-130Js will get the job done. years. The new C-130J aircraft began arriving at the 86th in 2009 – and the bigger, faster, Missions stronger Super Hercules brought a definite The 37th Airlift Squadron, also located at upgrade in power. Its four Rolls-Royce AE 2100 , is responsible for flying engines provided the equivalent of adding a missions on the C-130Js for the 86th Airlift fifth T56 engine to a legacy C-130. Wing. That extra power is appreciated on many of Pilot Brian Shea of the 37th Airlift Squadron, the 86th’s missions, which are frequently into comments: “The “Herc” is an iconic aircraft, and risky, unprotected landing zones. we are still exploring its capabilities. This plane Tech. Sgt. Francis Gilson, 86th Aircraft is such a beautiful mix of technology and Maintenance Squadron, a flying crew chief, time-tested reliability. Our squadron has tackled recalled one mission, to an undisclosed location, airdropping entire army units across Europe, where no one wanted to stay any longer than hauled massive amounts of cargo across Africa, necessary. and fulfilled the varied niches in between “We unloaded all our stuff and said, ‘Bye, we

18 rolls-royce.com Left Paratroops leap from the C-130J rear door.

Below The loadmasters have plenty of space to work with.

the magazine ISSUE 145 19 Maintaining the AE 2100 turboprop.

their engines every day. They don’t want to think about them or worry about them. They just want to start up the engines and go fly whatever and wherever they are assigned – and then return safely.

Unique To maximise engine readiness, the Air Force has contracted with Rolls-Royce through the MissionCare™ maintenance programme to keep a company technical representative (tech rep) on the base at Ramstein, working alongside the Air Force engine maintainers. Col. Briggs explained that it is “part of the really unique are out of here.’ I can’t tell you any more than 86th has assisted with humanitarian efforts in relationship we have. It allows our mechanics to that,” he said, recalling how grateful they were several countries, including the Ebola response train ‘hands on’ with the tech rep. They are for a rapid departure. “The C-130J is the most in western Africa, Nigerian elections and helping us out every day, giving us capability I versatile aircraft, especially the places we go to,” earthquake relief in Haiti. wouldn’t have otherwise.” explains Tech. Sgt. Gilson, “We go to places in “We were the second flight down there to Having a tech rep on site also means an extra the middle of forests, a little dirt air strip. You’re open up the base. It was a great experience to pair of eyes monitoring engine data from the flying around and you see this little strip and help the people of Haiti, who were devastated aircraft’s computerized control system – Full you say, ‘we’re going to land there?’ by the earthquake,” Tech. Sgt. Gilson said. Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). But in addition to military operations, the Whatever the mission, the crews count on That means upcoming issues can

Ready for action, a C-130J.

20 rolls-royce.com often be predicted and avoided before they become a problem. It also brings constant teaching to the service’s new maintainers as they learn about the engines and how they operate. “He’s always on call for us. He comes in on short notice. He’s always there to answer questions. We can pick his brain on how the engine works,” explains Senior Airman Jesse Taylor, 86th Maintenance Squadron. “I personally learned a lot from him.” Laptop technology assists Rolls-Royce Field Services Representative the engineers to do repair and overhaul work. Jorge Mireles is the man in question and he says it was all part of his job - making sure the customer gets the best possible service and their part in order to ensure that the mission airlift expertise to the U.S., its allies, and those in their aircraft are ready. gets done. They really went out of their way to need…and the C-130J is our chariot!” “I absolutely think that we are vital to their ensure that I not only felt like I was part of the mission and I also believe that they recognise it. team, but rather part of the 86th family,” he Their goal is to have all aircraft mission-ready added. Author: George McLaren is a Communications and that can only be done when issues can be Last word goes to 37th Airlift Squadron Manager for Rolls-Royce, based in Indianapolis, US. Following a lengthy career as a journalist, he resolved quickly,” Mireles said. commander Lieutenant Colonel Barry A. King II joined Rolls-Royce in 2005 and manages “The 86th is an amazing organisation that who said: “We operate daily throughout diverse communications for the company’s defence is all about team work. Everybody does theaters, providing the world’s greatest tactical business in the US and Canada.

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