Royal Air Force Brize Norton based 99 Squadron, part of the RAF Air Mobility Force, has conducted strategic airlift in support of Operation Highmast.
Flying the C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, the Squadron has pre-positioned supplies along the Carrier Strike Group route to Indo-Pacific in preparation for the operation. To assist aircraft unloading a small unit from the United Kingdom Mobile Air Movements Squadron (UKMAMS), also flew with the aircraft. UKMAMS is a part of the RAF’s No.1 Air Mobility Wing and is based at RAF Brize Norton.
As part of this airlift, RAF movements personnel were joined by US Air Force personnel from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, to unload and refuel the aircraft in a demonstration of combined interoperability.
“The C-17 continues to deliver high volumes of cargo, munitions and oversized loads across the globe in support of UK operations.
“Supporting Op Highmast demonstrates the important role of the Air Mobility Force; C-17 aircraft are especially critical to defence output and operational activity. We continue to increase our interoperability with partner nations and these sorties were another great example of just how seamless this activity is becoming, acting as a force multiplier, enabling us to optimise the use of our fleet.”
Wing Commander Nicola Lofthouse
Officer Commanding 99 Squadron
These RAF Air Mobility Force sorties were synchronised with the US Air Force to ensure that strategic airlift operations supporting global mobility and mission readiness was maintained for both Air Forces.
