Airborne testers conduct airdrop tests of new container delivery system

by Mr. Wayne Lovely, Test Officer, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command Public Affairs
 

	FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- The Army is operationally testing a new parachute with the A-24 container delivery system here. The G-15 parachute allows the bundles to be airdropped at higher speeds, more accurately, and closer to the ground, which will provide more limited dispersion. Soldiers from multiple components of the Army are coming to Fort Bragg to inspect, pack, maintain, rig, and recover the G-15 parachutes and containers from the drop zone during operational testing. The Extracted High and Low Speed Container Delivery System (EHLSCDS) allows U.S. Air Force cargo aircraft the ability to better employ this cargo airdrop system while using smaller drop zones. The EHLSCDS is capable of delivering equipment and supplies in the suspended weight range of 701 to 2,200 pounds. Parachute riggers, Military Occupational Specialist 92R, are proficient in the parachute preparation and aerial delivery rigging of the EHLSCDS. One such rigger, Spc. Kaden Levitt of the 19th Special Forces Airborne National Guard, is eagerly absorbing new skills as he takes on the process of preparing and packing the G-15 cargo parachutes to be used during operational airdrops. "In the five years that I have been in," he said, "I have never been a part of testing new equipment that is going to be fielded to rigger units." "It is great to see new systems being tested that will provide supplies at high speed and accurately to the intended impact point while operating in a realistic operational environment," said Staff Sgt. Christina Torres, the project NCO from the Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate (ABNSOTD). "It is a great opportunity to participate in operational testing with the Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate to see what new equipment is coming and how it is tested before it is fielded," said Sgt. Tim Williams of the 824th Quartermaster Reserve Company. "We test and assess Army, Joint, and Multi-service airborne and airdrop related warfighting systems in realistic operational environments, using Soldiers to determine whether the systems are effective, suitable, and survivable" said Lt. Col. Greg Oquendo, Test Division Chief at ABNSOTD. "Every piece of equipment Soldiers use has been independently tested and evaluated to meet current and future Army needs and requirements." ~~ About the U.S. Army Operational Test Command: The U.S. Army Operational Test Command is based at West Fort Hood, Texas, and its mission is about making sure that systems developed are effective in a Soldier's hands and suitable for the environments in which Soldiers train and fight. Test units and their Soldiers provide feedback by offering input to improve upon existing and future systems with which Soldiers will ultimately use to train and fight. The Fort Bragg, N.C.-based ABNSOTD plans, executes, and reports on operational tests and field experiments of Airborne and Special Operations Forces equipment, procedures, aerial delivery and air transportation systems in order to provide key operational data for the continued development and fielding of doctrine, systems, or equipment to the Warfighter.
Soldiers learn to pack the G-15 cargo parachute during New Equipment Training. (Photo Credit: Ms. Rebecka Waller, Audio Visual Production Specialist, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command)
A stick of four Extracted High and Low Speed Container Delivery System (EHLSCDS) bundles are extracted from a U.S. Air Force C-130J aircraft during low speed airdrop operational testing. (Photo Credit: Mr. James Finney, Photographer, Test Support Contractor, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command)
An Extracted High and Low Speed Container Delivery System (EHLSCDS) bundle is loaded onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft. (Photo Credit: Mr. Barry Fischer, Audio Visual Production Specialist, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command)
A stick of eight Extracted High and Low Speed Container Delivery System (EHLSCDS) bundles are extracted from a U.S. Air Force C-130J aircraft during low speed airdrop operational testing. (Photo Credit: Mr. James Finney, Photographer, Test Support Contractor, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command)
Eight Extracted High and Low Speed Container Delivery System (EHLSCDS) bundles descending to the drop zone. (Photo Credit: Mr. James Finney, Photographer, Test Support Contractor, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, U.S. Army Operational Test Command)