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380AEW Article

KC-10 Extender: On the 'March' to a combat mission

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  A flight crew drive a KC-10 Extender from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron down the taxiway en route to a mission during operations on the flightline for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia on March 1, 2010.

According to Mr. Ralph Jackson of the 380th AEW History Office, KC-10 Airmen of the 908th EARS achieved 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. The squadron also supported 2,756 "troops in contact" actions. That number 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.

The 380th AEW and the 908th EARS support operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.