Message posted by Richard C on December 26, 2003 at 8:10:14 PST:
The new runway at Cedar, like the documents suggest is for tactical airlift as we know. As for specific LAPES training, most of the initial training for this type of operation is conducted at ranges closer to the homebase of that aircraft. Take Fort Bragg and Eglin for instance, both support Special Operations and have ranges around the area offering numerous dirt/asphalt strips to practice this type of operation, and standard HAHO/HALO drops of troops all year round. Not to mention helicopter operations. The European airforces that use Nellis complex for this type of operation also have their own dedicated airfields for training in insertion of troops and cargo using different methods. Straight to the point... Richard C
For many years the USAF, Canada and the RAF have been using C130s over the ranges, their only possible use of an airfield would have been in and around Range 74. In reality, they never had any proper training facility in the range complex, it was primarily built for fast jet and helicopter operations and not tactical use of airlift operations.
Seeing as many flights are undertaken by Special Forces using their own and standard C130's to gain specialist operational training, the Nellis complex has now seen that it can be the primary training facility for standard airlift/transport squadrons in standard roles during war time as well. In other words, every prospect of tactical training in all types of aircraft and vehicle is now catered for at the range, in the past, it has not.
The normal profile for a C130 during the Flag would be a low level insertion of troops or cargo, and seeing whether they can evade interception by both airborne and ground based threats. Now they 'may' have a proper airfield to practice on and i can only guess too that this new airfield is used for not only tactical training of the pilots, but also to support the many ground based units that are found in that area on exercise all year round. Instead of driving all those miles, the Humvees and so on can be airlifted into the exercise theatre with ease and saving time aswell. Plus it has great use for helicopter pilots operating as a hot-gas/fuel area during the exercises... in other words, rotors running, refuelling from a C130 on the ground with the C130s deploying a hot-running fuel transfer of up to two or three helo's at a time that are not inflight refuelling capable.
I can only assume that this new airfield, although offering good training to US service personnel of both ground and airborne, it is used extensively/will be used for 'Joint' operations involving different countries (like in Flag) to provide the same training to each country to allow a 'standard' and also to observe the different methods each country has to employ such operations close to a FLOT/FEBA under hostile/high threat conditions.
In Reply to: Re: C-17 article could be a touch and drop and go runway posted by Andre' M. Dall'au on December 18, 2003 at 4:51:05 PST:
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