Silver lining: C-17 Globemaster III gives major boost to rescue ops

JODHPUR: Dark clouds spelling disaster and floods in many parts of the state saw the maiden landing of C-17 Globemaster III of the Indian Air Force at Jodhpur Airbase on Thursday.
Riding high on successful rescue operations in Yemen and then in quake-hit Nepal, C-17 heavy airlifter of IAF was on Thursday seen carrying the NDRF teams comprising 120 members. The C-17 stands testimony to the fact that military assets can prove fruitful in civilian rescue missions as well.
The C-17 Globemaster III in a 10-day daring rescue mission 'Operation Rahat' in April this year had rescued nearly 1,300 Indians back from Djibouti after salvaging them from the war-torn Yemen. It clocked about 150 hours of flight during these airlifting and transportation sorties. The C-17 again demonstrated its merit in rescue and relief operations during earthquakes in Nepal in April this year, just 10 days after arriving from Yemen.
Having been inducted in September 2013 into the IAF, the C-17 is being operated by the 81 Squadron, also known as the Skylords, based at Hindon Air Force Station in Uttar Pradesh.
And now again, the Globemaster III has been pressed into relief and rescue operations in flood-battered Rajasthan. The maiden flight of C-17 landed at about 2.45 pm here, as per the officials who further disclosed that the NDRF team was dispatched in three groups comprising 40 members each to Barmer, Pali and Sirohi districts which are facing flood-like situation following torrential rains.
Senior officials of the district administration said that the NDRF teams comprising 120 trained personnel were equipped with rubber boats, two trucks and other logistics. The C-17 picked up the NDRF teams from Arrakonam Naval Air Station in the morning with 120 passengers and 30 tonnes of load. The said naval air base is situated in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, about 69 kilometres from the capital of Chennai.
* Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, made in US is capable of landing on forward short runways as short as 3,500 feet and as narrow as 90 feet including advanced landing grounds with short turnaround times.
* With a wingspan of 52 m and a length of 53 m, C-17 has an impressive range of 10,390 km while cruising at at a speed of 830 km/h .
* Globemaster carried out the Operation Rahat in strife torn Yemen and Operation Maitri in earthquake hit Nepal in April this year when within four hours of the shattering earthquake, the IAF pressed its various aircraft including two C.-17 into strategic airlifting, evacuation and relief dropping mission.
* The C-17 Globemaster III is a huge military transport aircraft equipped with Pratt .and. Whitney PW2000, turbofan engine.
*. Apart from India, Globemaster jet is currently in service with United States, United Kingdom, NATO Heavy Airlift Wing, Canada, Australia, Qatar, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates.
* C-17 Globemaster III can lift battle tanks, trucks and different types of armoured vehicles.
* The aircraft can carry upto 78 to 80 tonnes of weight.