PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIR RESERVE STATION, Pa. -- A ground breaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction projects in preparation for a new aircraft took place here Nov. 7, 2017.
Construction is set to begin to prepare Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station to receive the C-17 Globemaster III as a replacement for the current C-130 Hercules, which has been the primary aircraft of the 911th Airlift Wing since 1978.
Three major contracts have been awarded for the various construction projects to house, fuel, and maintain the projected eight C-17s, a much larger aircraft than the C-130.
The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.
“I just can’t say enough about the support that we get in this community," said Col. Jeffrey A. VanDootingh, the commander of the 911th AW. “This Wing is here to stay…and will be here for the foreseeable future with an entirely new expanded mission.”