317th AG makes history with 16-ship formation

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Damon Kasberg
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Sixteen C-130J Super Hercules aircraft filed onto the runway at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, as part of a training exercise July 2.

Once the final aircraft was airborne, the 317th Airlift Group made history, flying the largest C-130J formation ever.

"We didn't do this to make history," said Col. Walter Ward, 317th AG commander. "That is a byproduct of what we did. We pushed ourselves to the maximum capability of the aircraft, our maintainers, and our operators today to practice standard textbook procedures, to execute them with precision, so that if we're called upon to do a large formation type scenario we can deliver with confidence."

The simulated mission was an airdrop above two different drop zones. The first drop was to reinforce current ground troops and the other was to place heavy equipment to setup a headquarters.

"This is a huge show of our ability to put this many aircraft in the air," said Maj. Daniel Hilferty, 317th Operations Support Squadron. "A 16-ship formation takes a lot in order to manage it."

Hilferty said there is massive synchronization that takes place with various agencies.

"We coordinated with tower, center and approach, synced maintenance, and ensured we had support from aerial delivery, loadmasters and the mission planning cell," he said. "It's a huge operation and great opportunity to demonstrate our abilities."

The first C-130J was delivered April 16, 2010, by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. Dyess has since received 20 more and is scheduled to get a total of 28 Js, making it the largest C-130J unit in the world.

Not only has Dyess received state-of-the-art aircraft, it has also received new buildings to support the Air Force Mission. A C-130J maintenance hangar was completed in the spring of 2011, and a ground breaking ceremony was held June 14, 2012, for a building that will house a C-130J simulator.

As the C-130Js continue to reach new heights at Dyess, so will the airmen of the 317th AG.

"These Airmen in the 317th are phenomenal," Ward said. "There's no limit to what they can do. All they need is a challenge, point them in the right direction and they do miraculous things."