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Supply route shortens with Kandahar C-130s

If you want to see how the surge of 17,000 ground troops into Afghanistan is affecting the Air Force, check out Kandahar Airfield in the southern part of that landlocked country.

The service is putting a C-130 Hercules squadron at the air base to bring transports closer to ground troops that need supplies.

Before the move, all U.S. C-130s in Afghanistan flew out of Bagram Airfield, about 300 miles to the northeast. Other C-130s left from Persian Gulf bases.

Assigned to Kandahar are eight C-130Js and about 120 airmen deployed from the 41st Airlift Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. They will come under the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, stood up March 15.

The airmen will deploy for 120-day tours about once a year, said Lt. Col. Gilberto Martinez, who took command of the 41st in February.

Already flying out of Kandahar are MQ-1 Predators and HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search-and-rescue helicopters.

The base is also home to Army aviation units and contractor and NATO aircraft such as British fighters that rotate through Afghanistan.

Making room for the C-130Js required Air Force civil engineers to expand Kandahar’s ramp parking space, said Maj. Gen. Del Eulberg, Air Force civil engineer.

Airmen from a civil engineering Red Horse detachment — Red Horse stands for rapid engineering, deployable, heavy operational repair squadron engineer — and others assigned to the base’s 451st Air Expeditionary Group joined contractors to lay down 200,000 square feet of matting suitable for helicopters. As the helicopters changed places, C-130Js moved onto the concrete ramp.

The civil engineers also erected a portable maintenance hangar and tents.