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Subject: C-17 lands on a tactical strip w Abrams tank
macawman    4/8/2003 7:36:23 PM
For the first time a C-17 has landed in a combat zone,on a tactical runway,off-loading a single Abrams tank in support of the 173rd Airborne. It must have taken some very high BRASS pull to get the Air Transport Cmd. to change their policy on not landing heavy lifters on unimproved fields. The situation would have to be quite desperate to get things moving in Northern Iraq to risk these multi-million dollar planes.
 
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Final Historian    RE:C-17 lands on a tactical strip w Abrams tank   4/8/2003 8:17:20 PM
1 Abrams tank would give the 173rd some real firepower. Its more than the equal of any Iraqi tank company it encounters. If they can get a few more they could probably make a real push for Kirkuk.
 
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macawman    RE:C-17 lands on a tactical strip w Abrams tank   4/9/2003 10:42:13 AM
One Abrams Tank Co. should do it. That is about 100 C-17 and C-130 landings with all the support logistics and IFVs. This will take a few days weather permiting.
 
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macawman    RE:C-17 lands on a tactical strip w Abrams tank   4/9/2003 4:41:08 PM
One of the big problems landing on this field is the damage it will do to the field each time this behemoath puts down with the typical load of 158,000 lbs. Engineer equipment could fix the ruts with a few loads of gravel/dirt. I wonder if this one Abrams was a token jesture to the Pesh Merga to instill them to move forward with Special Ops after the friendly fire incident. Latest reports places the a 4th ID Bde advancing towards Tikrit. There does not seem to be a need now for the Air Force to fly in more Abrams and dirty up their shining heavy lifters. They have proven their point that heavy lift cargo planes can be tactical.
 
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Sentinel    RE:C-17 lands on a tactical strip w Abrams tank   11/1/2004 2:02:07 PM
I'm not sure what the weather is like in N. Iraq but, I'd rather have a couple of attack helos airlifted in. They use less fuel, can carry more firepower, they have a better situational awareness, and move so rapidly they can be everywhere at once compared to an M1.
 
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