Military King Airs Offer Short Notice Transport Of Crews,
Cargo
The C-12 airplanes
operating out of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain’s
aviation depot are currently serving as valuable assets to maritime
security operations (MSO), particularly logistics support, in the
US 5th Fleet area of operations, according Lt. Patrick Brown,
Coalition Task Force (CTF) 53 routing officer.
Brown said the three eight-passenger Huron-class aircraft -- the
military-spec version of the Beechcraft King Air 200 -- provide
high priority, short notice transportation of cargo and personnel
for the Navy and Department of Defense.
"C-12s can generally reach anywhere in the [area of
operations]," said Brown. "They may have to stop for gas along the
way, but we can generally get people anywhere." He said the C-12s
frequently visited destinations include Qatar, Kuwait, Dubai and
Fujaira in the United Arab Emirates.
Requests for a C-12 flight usually have to involve more than
four passengers for it to be more cost effective than taking a
commercial flight, said Brown.
"If it’s less than four people, it’s cheaper to go
commercial. The things that would change that are if they’re
carrying military working dogs, if they’re carrying
[classified] material, or if they have any ammunition or weapons
with them. Then that would validate the request for a C-12 with
less than four people," he said. "In these cases, though it’s
more expensive, it has to be moved by military aircraft."
Aviation Electrician’s Mate Airman Andrew Trujillo, a C-12
aircrewman attached to NSA Bahrain, said C-12 passengers can
include distinguished visitors or high-level officials. However,
these planes have also transported security dogs and their
handlers, and once, some of the Philadelphia Eagles
cheerleaders.
Trujillo said most weeks the C-12s have at least one flight a
day due to the schedules of NSA Bahrain and Commander, US Naval
Forces Central Command personnel who travel around the area of
operations in support of the region’s ongoing maritime
security operations.
Many of these
passengers will work with coalition forces, which conduct maritime
security operations throughout international waters in the Persian
Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, and
the Red Sea.
MSO set the conditions for security and stability in the
maritime environment as well as complement the counter-terrorism
and security efforts of regional nations. MSO deny international
terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or
to transport personnel, weapons or other material.
(Aero-News salutes Journalist 2nd Class Cassandra Thompson,
Commander, US Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, US 5th Fleet
Public Affairs)
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