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'Extending the Fight:' Multi-faceted Effort Keeps KC-10s on the Move for Deployed Operations

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The number is 2,756. That's how many times KC-10 Extenders and their flight crews from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at a non-disclosed base here supported "troops in contact" in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in 2009.

That number, courtesy of Mr. Ralph Jackson of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing History Office, signifies the number of times KC-10s circled over a "hot" area and refueled fighter aircraft providing close-air support for troops on the ground in contact with enemy forces.

"As a KC-10 co-pilot it is my duty, along with my fellow flight crew members, to fly the KC-10 Extender into the combat area of operations delivering much needed fuel to the fighters who protect friendly coalition forces on the ground such as in Afghanistan," said 1st Lt. Matthew Simpkins, whose deployed from the 9th Air Refueling Squadron of Travis Air Force Base, Calif. "On average, we fly three to four times a week amassing around 30 hours of flight time."

Lieutenant Simpkins is one in a number of people in KC-10 operations who helped the 908th EARS achieving what Mr. Jackson calls a "staggering" 4,760 combat air refueling missions for 2009.

"In all those missions, the statistics show the squadron offloaded more than 422 million gallons of fuel to more than 31,400 aircraft," said Mr. Jackson, who compiles the statistics for monthly and annual histories for the 380th AEW.

Capt. Wes Spurlock, a KC-10 pilot deployed to the 908th EARS who is also from the 9th ARS at Travis AFB, said he enjoys driving the biggest air refueling aircraft in the Air Force inventory. To put that into perspective, take a look at the fuel tanks of the KC-10 -- a conversion of a civilian DC-10 cargo or passenger jet.

In addition to the three main wing fuel tanks, the KC-10 has three large fuel tanks under the cargo floor, one under the forward lower cargo compartment, one in the center wing area and one under the rear compartment, according to the Air Force fact sheet for the KC-10. This air refueling giant has the capability of holding more than 55,000 gallons of fuel for every mission.

"Operations are happening every day that require fuel at a moment's notice," Captain Spurlock said. "The KC-10 has the capability and the people to make it happen."

On the ground, the people keeping the KC-10 meeting the more than 40,000 flying hours amassed in 2009 are maintenance Airmen like Senior Airman Justin Lassiter -- a KC-10 aerospace propulsion journeyman deployed with the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Airman Lassiter said the KC-10 maintainers pay special attention to each KC-10 Extender. The plane holds three General Electric CF6-50C2 turbofan engines that can provide up to 52,500 pounds of thrust each. After each mission is done, those engines and the rest of the plane receive a thorough "look-over" and any problems are fixed.

He said he knows without the work of the maintainers, the expansive refueling mission they're assigned to wouldn't be achievable.

"The aircraft I work on refuels other aircraft directly supporting troops on the ground in places like Afghanistan," said Airman Lassiter, who is deployed from the 605th AMXS at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. "If the aircraft engines I work on and maintain don't work properly, the aircraft won't be able to fly and do its mission. Our team of maintainers makes sure that is never a problem and we strive every day to make sure our planes meet their mission capabilities."

In the chain of support in the KC-10 mission there are aerospace ground equipment, or AGE, Airmen assist the aircraft maintainers in getting work done. That's where Airmen like Staff Sgt. Efrem Flores in the 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron have the necessary equipment on hand to keep the maintenance and flying missions going.

An AGE craftsman, Sergeant Flores and his fellow AGE maintainers provide a multitude of equipment for aircraft maintainers to include generators, air conditioning units and maintenance stands.

"We maintain the ground equipment which in turn supports the aircraft maintenance personnel," said Sergeant Flores, who is deployed from the 374th Maintenance Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan. "What we complete each day is vital to the deployed mission. Without us, the aircraft deployed to the 380th would not get repaired or leave the ground."

Since the end of 2009, everyone involved with the KC-10 mission in Southwest Asia said they know they will continue to do their part in supporting the air refueling missions that support the "troops in contact." It is an effort, they said, that is about saving lives.

"As a KC-10 pilot over here, we support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom plus other contingency operations," said Captain Spurlock. "I know my job has an effect on the war effort on a daily basis - and that includes saving lives."

The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia.