Latest news with #C17
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Military Matters: A Birdseye View of Altus AFB
ALTUS (KFDX/KJTL) — From an outsider's perspective, one might expect to see smaller planes like fighter jets at an air force base. That's not always the case. Altus Air Force Base is a bit different, housing planes that are slightly larger than fighter jets. One of which is the C-17, piloted by Lt. Col. J.D. Shaw. 'Altus's mission is to train pilots and loadmasters how to operate this airplane so they can go out to their base, whether it be Charleston, McChord, Dover, McGuire and then employ this airplane around the world,' Shaw said. Altus Air Force Base specializes in air mobility. All three planes they train, the KC-135, KC-46, and C-17, accomplish this through their unique missions. The C-17 is most specialized toward cargo delivery, according to Loadmaster trainer, Sr. Master Sgt. Kris Mack. 'We're more concerned with the cargo compartment as far as loading cargo, and you have to be prepared,' Mack said. 'It could be a tank in there, it could be a palette, it could be something quite easy. It could be humanitarian aid. It could be, you know, things that take a little bit more concentration as far as the restraint.' Another aspect of air mobility is ensuring that planes can travel from point A to point B, regardless of the distance. Lt. Col. Broderick Lockett trains crews to refuel planes in midair with the KC-135. 'You know, think you're going 400 miles an hour down the highway and actually reaching out with another car and holding on to each other, and you know, shaking hands,' Lockett said. 'That's what we do. Except at 26,000 feet, you know, going up to 600 miles an hour.' Not all air refueling looks or works the same. Altus Air Force Base also has one of the more advanced aircraft designed for mid-air refueling, the KC-46 Pegasus, which can both give and receive fuel. A unique trait that Lt. Col. Scott Heinlein believes makes it a vital tool in any situation the aircraft is in. 'Instead of having to fly all the way back to our base, get gas again, we can find another tanker that has already taken off from that base, take that fuel in the air so that it extends that range even closer,' Heinlein said. 'So, the net result is we get our receivers closer to the fight, making them more effective in combat.' At the center of it all, for the base, though, is the relationship it has with the city of Altus. Lt. Col. Shaw says he's been more involved with the surrounding community at Altus than at any other base he's ever been to. 'The city is super welcoming,' Shaw said. 'I think they recognize the value that Altus brings to the city. And so, it is a true relationship that one could not survive without the other.' Both city and base, dedicated to the same mission for over 80 years. Keeping America's Air Force mobile and strong. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jim Irsay, Indianapolis Colts owner and force behind Tokitae's return to PNW, dies at 65
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who had led the team since 1997 and presided over one of the storied franchise's greatest eras, died at the age of 65. Locally, Irsay became a huge part of the movement to bring Tokitae back to Puget Sound waters. Tokitae, an endangered southern resident orca, was taken from Penn Cove on Aug. 8, 1970 in a mass capture of orcas. She was just four years old. She was taken to the Miami Seaquarium, where she remained until her death in August 2023-- 53 years. Tokitae was forced to perform for a public audience and lived in a 20-foot deep tank. She was given the name 'Lolita' at the Seaquarium. Tokitae was the only surviving whale of the seven captured on Aug. 8, 1970 until her death. She also outlived other whales captured after her who were sold to theme parks. Following a documentary about her in 2003, which pre-dated the famous 'Blackfish' documentary, word began to spread about her health and living conditions. When an agreement with the Seaquarium was reached in 2023 to bring Tokitae back to Puget Sound to live out her last few years, one of the biggest issues raised was the logistics of getting a 7,000 pound whale from Florida to Washington. That's where Irsay came in. The cost to move her was estimated to be up to $20 million and would need approval from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. That doesn't include the cost it would be to create a safe home for her with barricades and provide constant care, food and veterinary exams On the Pat McAfee show on ESPN, Irsay committed to bankroll her transport and ongoing care. Before her death, she was trained to get into a sling that would have eventually been used to get her into a C-17 military transport plane. 'I'm into this thing with my hands on as a producer, and it was going nowhere,' Irsay said on the Patt McAfee Show. 'I'm putting up tens and tens of millions of dollars. I said, 'Let's go. She's healthy, I got the money. Let's move and get all these permits.' 'We're going to get a big C 17 or 747. We have her tanks. She's been practicing getting in her netting so she can get put in the tank,' Irsay said. 'It's four feet of natural water with whale whispers and vets with her. All the vets are moving out there, all the trainers, I'm getting housing for them. This is being planned to the detail with aggressive nature of saying, let's try to get this done.' Unfortunately, Tokitae died before these plans could be put in place. On top of efforts to free Tokitae, Irsay is remembered for his other philanthropic acts. He started an organization aimed at tackling advocacy and resources for those experiencing a mental health crisis in Indiana, and has advocated for music programs and animal welfare. In 1997, he was the youngest NFL franchise owner with the Colts. Under Irsay's watch, the Colts advanced to two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLI after the 2006 season. Irsay died at the age of 65 on May 20. His cause of death is unknown but Colts chief operating officer Pete Ward said he 'died peacefully in his sleep.' Irsay is survived by his daughters Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson; his ex-wife and his daughters' mother, Meg Coyle; and 10 grandchildren. Irsay is survived by his daughters Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson; his ex-wife and his daughters' mother, Meg Coyle; and 10 grandchildren, according to ESPN.
CTV News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Trump admin moving forward with plans to transport undocumented immigrants to Libya
In this January 30 photo, migrants are deported using a US military plane in El Paso, Texas. (Christian Torres/Anadolu/Getty Images/File via CNN Newsource) The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to transport a group of undocumented immigrants to Libya on a U.S. military plane, an administration official told CNN. It is unclear when the plane would leave and whether other groups of migrants would also be sent to Libya — a country engaged in an ongoing civil conflict — in the future, the official said. Flight trackers show that a U.S. Air Force C-17 has filed a plan to fly on Wednesday from Kelly Field in San Antonio to Misrata Airport in Libya. The U.S. has repeatedly used the large C-17s to transport migrants in recent months. The White House declined to comment. CNN first reported the administration was communicating with Libya to have the country take migrants from the United States. Reuters first reported on the potential military flight this week. The decision to send migrants to Libya, which the UN has previously criticized for its harsh treatment of migrants, is a further escalation of the president's deportation policies — which have faced widespread political and legal backlash. The State Department's website has a Level 4 travel advisory for Libya. 'Do not travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict,' the site reads. CNN reached out last week to a representative for Libyan Gen. Saddam Haftar, who was in Washington for talks with officials, for comment on the deportation plans. The State Department and a Libyan official said his meetings were not about deportations. A Libyan official told CNN: 'Deporting migrants to Libya was never discussed. This did not happen. Everything we talked about was as published on the official agenda.' Conversations about sending migrants to other countries in Africa, such as Rwanda, continue. But there are no confirmed plans for flights to those other countries right now, sources familiar with those discussions said. Natasha Bertrand, Priscilla Alvarez and Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.
CNN
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump admin moving forward with plans to transport undocumented immigrants to Libya
CNN — The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to transport a group of undocumented immigrants to Libya on a US military plane, an administration official told CNN. It is unclear when the plane would leave and whether other groups of migrants would also be sent to Libya — a country engaged in an ongoing civil conflict — in the future, the official said. Flight trackers show that a US Air Force C-17 has filed a plan to fly on Wednesday from Kelly Field in San Antonio to Misrata Airport in Libya. The US has repeatedly used the large C-17s to transport migrants in recent months. The White House declined to comment. CNN first reported the administration was communicating with Libya to have the country take migrants from the United States. Reuters first reported on the potential military flight this week. The decision to send migrants to Libya, which the UN has previously criticized for its harsh treatment of migrants, is a further escalation of the president's deportation policies — which have faced widespread political and legal backlash. The State Department's website has a Level 4 travel advisory for Libya. 'Do not travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict,' the site reads. Conversations about sending migrants to other countries in Africa, such as Rwanda, continue. But there are no confirmed plans for flights to those other countries right now, sources familiar with those discussions said. Natasha Bertrand and Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.
CNN
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Trump admin moving forward with plans to transport undocumented immigrants to Libya
CNN — The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to transport a group of undocumented immigrants to Libya on a US military plane, an administration official told CNN. It is unclear when the plane would leave and whether other groups of migrants would also be sent to Libya — a country engaged in an ongoing civil conflict — in the future, the official said. Flight trackers show that a US Air Force C-17 has filed a plan to fly on Wednesday from Kelly Field in San Antonio to Misrata Airport in Libya. The US has repeatedly used the large C-17s to transport migrants in recent months. The White House declined to comment. CNN first reported the administration was communicating with Libya to have the country take migrants from the United States. Reuters first reported on the potential military flight this week. The decision to send migrants to Libya, which the UN has previously criticized for its harsh treatment of migrants, is a further escalation of the president's deportation policies — which have faced widespread political and legal backlash. The State Department's website has a Level 4 travel advisory for Libya. 'Do not travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict,' the site reads. Conversations about sending migrants to other countries in Africa, such as Rwanda, continue. But there are no confirmed plans for flights to those other countries right now, sources familiar with those discussions said. Natasha Bertrand and Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.
