From: bergman@afnews.pa.af.mil (CMSgt Mike Bergman)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: DoD News 12/18/92
Date: 20 Dec 1992 21:43:02 -0600
Organization: Hq Air Force News Agency/SCC
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

  <<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><>>
  <<>> Assistant Secretary Of Defense                                    <<>>
  <<>>        Public Affairs                    December 1992            <<>>
  <<>>    Pentagon, Washington DC       Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat      <<>>
  <<>>        DSN  225-3886                      1   2   3   4   5       <<>>
  <<>>       - - - - - - -               6   7   8   9  10  11  12       <<>>
  <<>>  DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NEWS      13  14  15  16  17  18  19       <<>>
  <<>>                                  20  21  22  23  24  25  26       <<>>
  <<>>  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1992       27  28  29  30  31               <<>>
  <<>>                                                                   <<>>
  <<>>               Courtesy of Air Force Reserve                       <<>>
  <<>>                   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -                   <<>>
  <<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><>>


*MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS                         December 17, 1992 
*MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS                                   December 15,
*MEMORANDUM  FOR  CORRESPONDENTS                               December 15, 1992

==========================================================================

                                                      No. 364-M 
MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS                         December 17, 1992 

     In the course of normal flight testing, the U.S. Air Force's C-17 air-
lifter set seven world records in aircraft gross weight-to-altitude.  The
records were set yesterday during a scheduled 6.2 hour flight test mission at
Edwards AFB, Calif.  

     The aircraft, P-2 (the second production aircraft), was flying a regu-
larly-scheduled, routine test mission, evaluating the heavy weight cruise
performance of the C17 when the records were established.  

     Pending certification by the National Aeronautical Association, the C-I7,
built by McDonnell Douglas, achieved the records in the categories of aircraft
with gross weight between 250,000 - 300,000 kilograms (551,150 - 661,300
pounds).  Aircraft gross weight is the sum of the aircraft, fuel and payload
weights.  

     According to flight test officials at Edwards, the C-17 will attempt seven
more records today during a previously scheduled flight test.  The records to
be attempted today are in the category of aircraft with gross rate between
200,000 - 250,000 kilograms (440,920 - 551,150 pounds).  

     An empty C-17 weighs approximately 274,000 pounds and the aircraft has
previously taken off at a gross weight of 578,300 pounds.  

     Yesterday's six "altitude with payloads" records were set by flying at a
gross weight of 582,000 pounds, including a 60,000 kilogram (133,000 pounds)
payload, up to an altitude of 11,172 meters (36,653 feet).  No previous
aircraft has ever claimed these records.  

     In addition, the C-17 set the record for the heaviest load carried to
2,000 meters (6,600 feet).  The record was previously set at 67,177 pounds by
the former Soviet Union using a Tupolov Tu-160 Backfire bomber in 1990.  

     The mission was flown by a mixed McDonnell Douglas and Air Force crew.
Mission commander was Charles Walls, McDonnell Douglas; pilot, Capt. John
Norton, USAF; loadmaster, Paul Harvell;  and flight test engineer Kevin
Weinert, both of McDonnell Douglas.  

     Four C-17s have completed more than 850 test flight hours on 244 test
missions.  A fifth C-17 is scheduled to be delivered to Edwards early next
month.  

     For additional information contact Capt. Scott Vadnais, Wright Patterson
AFB, Ohio, (513) 255-2725.  

World records set by the C-17 airlifter are:  


                Class C-1.S Group III Heavy Airplanes 
           250,000 - 300,000 Kg. (551,150 - 661,300 lbs) 

1.  Altitude with 35,000 Kg. (77,000 lbs) 

2.  Altitude with 40,000 Kg. (88,000 lbs) 

3.  Altitude with 45,000 Kg. (99,000 lbs) 

4.  Altitude with 50,000 xg. (110,000 lbs) 

5.  Altitude with 55,000 Kg. (121,000 lbs) 

6.  Altitude with 60,000 Kg. (132,000 lbs) 

7.  Greatest load carried to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) 
    previous record -- 67,177 lbs established in 1990 


World records to be attempted are:  

                Class C-1.R Group III Heavy Airplanes 
           200,000 - 250,000 Kg. (440,920 - 551,150 lbs) 

1.  Altitude with 35,000 Kg. (77,000 lbs) 

2.  Altitude with 40,000 Kg. (88,000 lbs) 

3.  Altitude with 45,000 Kg. (99,000 lbs) 

4.  Altitude with 50,000 Kg. (110,000 lbs) 

5.  Altitude with 55,000 Kg. (121,000 lbs) 

6.  Altitude with 60,000 Kg. (132,000 lbs) 

7.  Greatest load carried to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) 
    Previous record -- 67,177 lbs established in 1989 

                                    -END- 


                                                                      No.
                                                                      361-M 


MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS                                   December 15,
                                                                1992 


     UH-60 medium-lift helicopters from U. S. Army, Europe, began deploying
today from their bases in Germany to Ramstein Air Base for air deployment
Thursday to Somalia.  

     Five UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from C Company, 7th Battalion, 158th
Aviation Regiment in Giebelstadt, and 10 UH-60 helicopters from A Company, 2nd
Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment in Hanau, began staging to Ramstein this
afternoon to begin preparations for loading aboard Air Force C-5A Galaxy
aircraft Thursday.  Personnel and equipment from the units will accompany the
helicopters aboard six C-5A flights and five C-141 Starlifter sorties.  

     C Company, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment is part of V Corps' 12th
Aviation Brigade headquartered in Wiesbaden.  A Company, 2nd Battalion, 227th
Aviation Regiment is part of the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade in Hanau.  

     Meanwhile, 16 CH-47D Chinook helicopters from D Company, 502nd Aviation
Regiment, that departed Coleman Army Airfield in Mannheim on Sunday arrived
early Tuesday afternoon in Livorno, Italy, to await sealift to Somalia.  

     The aviation assets make up part of Task Force 5-158, which also includes
15 UH-60 helicopters configured as air ambulances of the 159th Medical Company
(Air Ambulance), from 7th Medical Command's 421st Medical Evacuation Battalion
in Wiesbaden, and B Company, 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation Intermediate
Maintenance, from Giebelstadt.  The command element of the task force comes
from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Battalion, 158th Aviation
Regiment, headquartered in Giebelstadt.  

     The task force consists of approximately 650 personnel.  The task force's
support vehicles and equipment are moving overland to Livorno for sealift to
Somalia.  The task force will come under the 10th Mountain Division (Light
Infantry) Aviation Brigade during the deployment, and will provide additional
airlift capacity for both troops, equipment and relief supplies.  

                                   -END- 



                             -- Corrected Copy --

                                                                      No. 359-M

MEMORANDUM  FOR  CORRESPONDENTS                               December 15, 1992

     The 4th Psychological Operations Group (Airborne), based at Fort Bragg,
N.C., has received orders to begin deploying a task force to Somalia in support
of Operation Restore Hope.  Selected elements of the unit have begun movement
to the area of operations, where they will serve under the U.S. Central
Command.

     This psychological operations task force will provide the theater com-
mander a means of disseminating messages to local populations through leaflets,
posters, broadcasts, and audio-visual tapes.  The 4th Psychological Operations
Group is commanded by Col. Layton Dunbar.  Its units deploying to Somalia will
be commanded by Lt. Col. Charles Borchini of Baltimore, Md.

     Additional information on the unit can be obtained by calling Army Public
Affairs' Inquiry Branch at (703) 697-7589 or the U.S. Army Special Operations
Command Public Affairs Office at (919) 432-6939.

                                     -END-
Newsgroups: soc.veterans,alt.war.vietnam