NEWS
86th OG receives new commander, Page 3
FEATURE
Airlifter of the week, Page 7
FEATURE
Bundeswehr liaison assists 21st TSC with European movement, Page 8
June 23, 2023 | Volume 47, Number 25
FEATURE
Check out next week’s
24 nations unite to enhance partnerships, readiness, Pages 16-17
4th of July
SPECIAL EDITION
Read the KA online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
Sparks fly between Team Ramstein, Polish C-130 crews Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Edgar Grimaldo 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 86th Maintenance Group and the 435th Contingency Response Support Squadron taught Polish air force airmen assigned to the 33rd Air Force Base C-130 Squadron, Poland, how to load aircraft, unload aircraft and build flares at Ramstein Air Base, June 5-8. The first day of the three-day training course consisted of classroom training on the logistics and step-by-step process of installing chaffs and flares onto a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, helping the only C-130 avionics squadron in the Polish air force refine their flare loading and unloading procedures. Flares and chaffs protect aircraft by forcing infrared threats — such as heat-seeking, surface-to-air or airto-air missiles — to lock to the heat signatures of the flares rather than an aircraft’s engine. Burning up to 1,600 degrees Celsius, the flares are See SPARKS FLY, Page 2
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Francina Matos, 86th Maintenance Group avionics quality assurance inspector, explains the process of loading and unloading flares onto a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, at Ramstein Air Base, June 5. Chaff and flare cartridges are considered live munitions. Airmen from the 86th MXG conduct frequent systems checks to ensure no electrical surges or signals exist to potentially cause a misfire during installation.
Beach holidays in England? Great Britain is not commonly known internationally as a beach destination. However, England can be a fabulous place to get your beach on! One of the most famous and beautiful coastlines of Britain is on the southernmost point of England — Cornwall. Here are some of the best. See BEACH, Page 28
“Asteroid City” is the fea tured movie of the we ek,
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Photo by ian woolcock/Shutterstock.com
by MilitaryInGermany.com