The most notable of these is the
core mission computer/color weather
radar (CMC/CWR) program. These
enhancements will result in an increase
in speed and memory for the aircraft’s
computing systems. In addition, the
C-5s are receiving a new multi-scan
color-weather radar, which will improve
weather detection — including
turbulence and windshear — and
decrease pilot workload. This upgrade
has already started and the e ort is
expected to be completed eet-
wide by 2021.Puerto Rico relief effort
On September 19, 2017, Hurricane Maria,
a deadly category 5 storm, made landfall
in Puerto Rico. It caused catastrophic
damage and numerous fatalities across
the north-eastern Caribbean. The 22nd
Airlift Squadron played a huge role in
supporting a relief e ort to those a ected
in the Puerto Rico area. Wangler said, ‘This
was one of those times where people
really come together to help those in
need. We were directly responsible for
making sure that critical infrastructure
was delivered to Puerto Rico in the formof generators, supplies, survey helicopters,
etc. We had about four C-5s participating
in the operation, ying about ve missions
each. We took supplies from all parts of
the US and made sure they got there as
fast and as safely as possible.’Engineering the big beast
Maintaining an aircraft as large as the
Galaxy takes a large amount of specialist
skill. Engineering work on the ‘legacy’
C-5s took a lot of mechanical aptitude
— troubleshooting was an art form and
needed an encyclopedic understandingAbove: A Galaxy
crew plugs in for
fuel high above
the Pacifi c.
Below: C-5M
69-0024 was
the only C-5A
to go through
the reliability
enhancement
and re-engining
program (RERP)
alongside two
C-5Cs and 49
C-5Bs.UNIT REPORT // 22ND AIRLIFT SQUADRON
78 August 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
74-79 22nd AS C.indd 78 21/06/2018 13:53