Air Force Conducts 'Christmas Airborne Operation' in the Pacific

Conducted with US, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand Air Forces from 4th to 9th

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Air Force has launched the 'Christmas Airlift Operation,' delivering gifts to islands in the Pacific together with the air forces of the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

According to the Air Force on the 5th, transport aircraft and a training unit from the 15th Special Missions Wing began an airlift operation the previous day, delivering medicines, clothing, and daily necessities to about 10 islands in the Pacific island nation of Micronesia. The Christmas Airlift Operation is the U.S. Air Force's oldest humanitarian and disaster relief mission. It began in 1952 by airlifting daily necessities to island residents in the Micronesia region south of Guam.

For this year's second Christmas Airlift Operation, the Air Force dispatched one C-130 transport aircraft from the 15th Special Missions Wing along with a training unit of about 30 personnel, including pilots, mechanics, and support staff. On the 3rd, the unit's soldiers packed cargo boxes with local residents at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, then the next day loaded the cargo boxes onto the C-130 transport aircraft, attaching parachutes to the cargo for low-altitude airdrop onto the beach.

The training unit will carry out operations packing, unloading, and airlifting relief supplies until the 9th, while enhancing joint airlift operation capabilities with multinational air forces, the Air Force explained.