The first of the Air Force’s C-5M Super Galaxy transports is with the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing in Newburgh where maintainers are hard at work trimming out its capacious interior and giving it a much-needed facelift. C-5s “have been in constant motion since Sept. 11,” and with airmen spending up to 11 hours en route to combat theaters, the state of the C-5s’ interior is a “quality-of-life” issue, an official with Air Force Reserve Command’s 512th AW at Dover AFB, Del., told the Daily Report Tuesday during a visit to Dover. The Delaware base is home to the first C-5Ms. The C-5M undergoing work in Newburgh pioneers the C-5’s “new look” interior that the entire C-5 fleet will eventually receive as airframes come in for annual inspection. In addition to touchup and deep cleaning, the fleet will receive new soundproofing, upholstery, paint, and a lavatory upgrade, replacing tattered turquoise batting and flesh-toned paint with a fresher, more livable ambience. (See Newburgh report)
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.