Tennessee Air National Guard C-5 Galaxy maintainers are training with C-17 technicians at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., in preparation for the Tennesseans’ transition to the Globemaster III. “Our goal is to help them reach ‘operational status’ and perform real-world missions for the Air Force,” said SMSgt. Mark Cherrix, a superindendent with Air Force Reserve Command’s 446th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at McChord, in a Sept. 5 base release. “I have no doubt they will leave McChord better equipped,” he added. A dozen Tennessee Air Guardsmen from the 164th AMXS are currently at McChord learning “to perform hands-on tasks so we can return to our home station and train other crew chiefs on the C-17 systems,” explained crew chief MSgt. Todd Jones. The 164th Airlift Wing at Memphis ANG Base is slated to receive eight C-17s to replace its current C-5A fleet next fiscal year. (McChord report by TSgt. Elizabeth Moody)
This week’s revelation that the Air Force had designated its first uncrewed fighters set the stage for the makers of the two aircraft to talk about the logistics of deploying them to dispersed locations.