Press Release
☷109th Airlift Wing Wraps up Antarctic Science Support Mission
National Guard ( By Press Release office)
Mar 14,2024
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The New York Air National Guard ' s 109th Airlift Wing just wrapped up their annual Operation Deep Freeze mission , marking the end of a successful season supporting scientific research . From October to March , 366 Airmen worked at McMurdo Station in Antarctica , flying missions across the continent and to New Zealand in five ski - equipped LC - 130 aircraft . These LC - 130s are the biggest ski - equipped planes in the world , and the 109th is the only unit that operates them . In total , they completed 114 missions , moving a ton of cargo , 1 , 500 passengers , and 68 , 000 gallons of fuel . The Airmen worked hard to resupply the South Pole and West Antarctic Ice Sheet stations . Colonel Rob Donaldson , the commander of the 109th Airlift Wing , expressed his pride in the team ' s dedication and flexibility , and their ability to handle the challenges of the mission . Operation Deep Freeze supports the National Science Foundation ' s research in Antarctica , aiding discoveries in climate science , geology , and biology . Now , the 109th is preparing for the scientific support season in Greenland , which starts in April . They will be flying missions to research stations on the Greenland ice cap .
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