American Hercules aircraft back in Kangerlussuaq

In early May, three American LC-130 Hercules aircraft from the 109th Air Lift Wing arrived in Kangerlussuaq from their home base at Stratton Air National Guard Base near New York.

It is a sure sign of spring in Kangerlussuaq. The Hercules aircraft, equipped with skis so that they can land on the ice sheet, come to Kangerlussuaq every summer, where they partly train in Arctic conditions and partly deliver supplies to the American research facilities on the ice sheet.

In addition to the aircraft, a crew of 88 people – pilots, technicians, instructors and service personnel – also arrived, all of whom are housed at Umimmak. The personnel typically stay in Kangerlussuaq for about a month, after which they are replaced by new personnel.

The three LC-130 Hercules aircraft are the largest ski-equipped aircraft in the world, capable of landing on snow and ice. The 109th Air Lift Wing has a total of ten aircraft of this type.

Research support

Among other things, the 109th has an agreement with the National Science Foundation – an American scientific foundation – to support its activities on the Greenland ice sheet, including Camp Summit, which is located on the ice sheet at an altitude of just over three kilometers. The support includes the transport of personnel, equipment and supplies to the research stations.

Last summer, it flew more than 360 hours, transporting 450,000 kilograms of cargo, just over 300,000 liters of fuel and 630 passengers. Simultaneously with the supply flights, Arctic training of soldiers was also carried out at a training facility near the former DYE-2 radar station 160 km east of Kangerlussuaq.

When the Greenland season ends in August, aircraft and personnel return home to Stratton Air National Guard Base. In October, the trip will then go to Antarctica, where supplies and personnel will be flown to the American research stations there until February.

The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing is part of the American National Guard, which can best be compared to the Home Guard in Denmark.

The 109th Air Lift Wing began its Arctic operations in 1975, where they flew supplies to the radar stations on the ice sheet from the then American base in Kangerlussuaq.