The first C-5 Galaxy to be retired from the Air Force inventory was delivered Nov. 11 to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ. Maintainers there prepared the Lackland AFB (TX) -based aircraft for long-term storage.

The gigantic C-5 is an outsized cargo-transport that provides Air Mobility Command officials intertheater airlift supporting U.S. national defense. It has the capability to carry fully equipped, combat-ready military units to any point in the world on short notice, officials said.

Thirteen C-5s from across the Air Force are scheduled to go to the center. Travis will retire up to four aircraft by the end of 2004, reducing the total number of assigned C-5s to 33.

"This event is historic because it marks the future of air mobility. Retiring the older C-5s is paving the way for the modernization of the C-5 fleet and the beddown of C-17 (Globemaster IIIs) at Travis AFB by 2007," said Col. Steven Miller, 60th Operations Group commander. [ANN Thanks Capt. Angela Smith, 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs]

FMI: www.af.mil