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By: - 15th January 2010 at 16:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
USAF is deploying RQ-4 Globalhawks from Beale AB. AFAIK it's the first time RQ-4s are used in anything but military oriented. (edit/self correction: they were used last year in the California fires)
Beale officials send Global Hawk to aid in Haiti earthquake relief effortsby Tech. Sgt. Luke Johnson
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs1/14/2010 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- Officials from the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron here launched an RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft from Beale Air Force Base Jan. 13 to assist with the humanitarian aid mission in Haiti after the country suffered a 7.0 magnitude earthquake Jan. 12.
The squadron received the short-notice mission from U.S. Southern Command officials to provide imagery to assist in the continuing relief efforts.
The Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft, is equipped with an integrated sensor suite to include synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical and medium-wave infrared sensors.
"(The imagery) will help to characterize what regions of the country were hit hardest by the earthquake, and we can provide that imagery to our intelligence unit on base," said Lt. Col. Mark Lozier, a 12th RS operations officer. "They'll exploit the imagery and send it back to the requesting end user."
Not only will the Global Hawk's advanced imagery provide an overall assessment of the damages, it will also help expeditiously direct aircrew flying into Haiti to deliver crucial supplies to those affected by the earthquake.
"In effect, you get to look at what we know is damaged, and what we know is still serviceable," Colonel Lozier said. "We can take a look at airfields to assess, right now, whether or not we will be able to get airlift in there with aid. We don't have to wait for a ground team to get in there and make on-site decisions."
The long range and endurance of the Global Hawk will allow flexibility in meeting mission requirements during the ongoing relief mission in Haiti.
"One of the ideal aspects of the Global Hawk for this purpose is its high altitude; we can stay airborne 27 to 28 hours," Colonel Lozier said. "We will be using most of that time to stay on station over in Haiti during most of daylight hours to image most of everything that we can with the highest fidelity."
This is not the first time the Global Hawk has been used to assist in a humanitarian crisis. In 2007 the imagery from the Global Hawk was used to assist California firefighters battling blazes in Southern California.
"Normally, we are supporting wartime efforts 24/7, it's nice to be able to use this jet in some other aspect other than our normal routine mission that we are all used to," Colonel Lozier said. "It's nice to be able to use this jet in a way that is helping in a crisis."
By: - 15th January 2010 at 16:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
USAF Special operations C-130s, Airmen provide disaster relief in Haiti1/14/2010 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) – Airmen and C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Air Force Special Operations Command here landed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the evening of Jan. 13 and are continuing to provide disaster relief to area ravaged by a 7.0 earthquake.
MC-130H Combat Talon IIs and a C-130 from the 1st Special Operations Wing transported generators, vehicles, fuel, food and water, and communications packages, as well as specialty teams like special operations medical units and special tactics teams.
The Airmen will continue to support requirements as additional aircraft like the MC-130Ps Combat Shadows are en route carrying people and equipment.
In addition, two MC-130W Combat Spears from the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., are positioned at Hurlburt Field for additional support requirements./
By: - 15th January 2010 at 17:46 Permalink - Edited 10th April 2020 at 19:36
If any of you guys are interested in donating something to the Red Cross for the Haiti disaster, click here.
The minimum donation is just $10. It can be done through your amazon account. I donated $10. I challenge everyone to equal that! Even those on flight 1549 are thanking the Red Cross :
Flight 1549 Passengers, Crew Say ‘Thanks’ to Red Cross
By: - 15th January 2010 at 19:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I noticed an early report when the airport was shut because of a lack of parking for incoming planes.
Also, there was a lack of fuel for departing aircraft.
Here is a case where specialized military airlifters (C-17, C-5, C-130, An-24s, etc) will show their superiority over airline types (both civil and military operated).
Military types don't need infrastructure to off load...and in terms of the fuel shortage, can be air to air refueled following a light weight takeoff (either because of damage limiting runway length or lack of fuel on the ground) if needbe.
Let's say thanks to the military crews doing God's work in this disaster.
By: - 15th January 2010 at 20:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I noticed that it was an MC130(P I think) that landed whilst the BBC News was showing a continueous live feed from the airport.
I thought it a little strange at the time but given their proximity in Florida, they are the nearest lifters to hand.
By: - 15th January 2010 at 21:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Televised footage from PauP over the last 2 days has shown C-17s (Canada and USAF), Airbuses (Belgium and France), Hercules (USAF, US Coast Guard, Canada, Brazil and Colombia) 2 USN Sea Stallions and 1 lone Spanish C.295.
By: - 15th January 2010 at 23:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Armée de l'air send 3 CASA
Photo credit :
http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/base/focus/2010/1er_trimestre/l_armee_de_l_air_vient_en_aide_a_haiti
By: - 15th January 2010 at 23:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Here is a case where specialized military airlifters (C-17, C-5, C-130, An-24s, etc) will show their superiority over airline types (both civil and military operated).
The US Military who are running Port Au Prince have BANNED all large aircraft from the airfield due "taxiway size limitation"
They did initially run a few C5's through bringing the handling equipment etc
We are hopefully trying to get a couple of IL76's in at the moment for the Red Cross, but the Antonovs are barred for the time being and I can understand this with chaos there is at the airport. Another problem there is no fuel available at the field so we are being advised to arrive with hold fuel and plenty for our next stop....we intend to use Port au Spain as Santa Domingo next door is extremely busy and empty flights are not allowed
A225HVY
By: - 16th January 2010 at 07:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The Fuerza Aérea Dominicana provide it's UH-1H-II helicopters and one CASA 212 for transport supplies and bringing wounded people back to DR for treatment in hospitals. At least four Hueys are involved, and also some Kiowa's are seen flying over Haiti. Seen at San Isidro AB yesterday was one Spanish AF C-130H, one French Transall and one Brazilian AF CASA 295.
Salu2,
TigerII
By: - 16th January 2010 at 08:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
RNLAF efforts
The RNLAF sent a KDC-10 with reliefgoods and a 60 person USAR team (Urban Search and Rescue). It consists of firefighters, police, medical specialists and 8 rescue dogs.
I believe its the first of three planned flights.
By: - 16th January 2010 at 08:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Despite everything the aid, as so often, does not seem to be getting through to where it is needed. Let's hope that now the US is getting the distribution sorted out it really will start moving to help those who so desperately need it.
By: - 16th January 2010 at 12:08 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The US take over the situation in controlling the incoming flights...
U.S. Military Takes Control Of Airport In Quake-Struck HaitiJanuary 16, 2010
The U.S. military says it has taken control of the airport in the capital of earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
The U.S. military will help coordinate flights bringing in aid and evacuating foreigners and the injured.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to arrive in Haiti on January 16 to inspect the damage and meet with President Rene Preval and other officials.
U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged continued U.S. commitment to Haiti.
Medical teams, meanwhile, have set up makeshift hospitals, as workers started to clear the streets of corpses and water was being distributed in pockets of the city.
Aid workers and authorities warned that unless they can quickly get aid to the people, Port-au-Prince will degenerate into lawlessness.
There were reports of isolated looting, but U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said the overall security situation remains calm.
The Red Cross estimates up to 50,000 people were killed in the January 12 earthquake.
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/US_Military_Takes_Control_Of_Airport_In_QuakeStruck_Haiti/1931050.html
Some sources claim the number of dead could rise to 200.000... :(
By: - 16th January 2010 at 14:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The USS Carl Vinson made Norfollk VA to Haiti at 32 knots. http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28331
...But the Rear Admiral Ted Branch, the commander of this ship, has already found some pretty big problems. He sent some observers out to take photographs of the terrain and he's very worried at how hilly everything is, how much debris there is and what kind of damage might be done to his helicopters if they're trying to provide some of those remoter areas where people haven't been able to get into yet.
I mean there's been criticism and suggestions that the military have moved too slowly on this but Rear Admiral Ted Branch said he brought his ship down from Virginia, Norfolk Virginia which is quite some distance at a rate of 32 knots. It's a nuclear powered ship and they didn't stop. And excusing the Australian slang they were flooring it and they got here as quickly as possible.
USN page
http://www.youtube.com/user/USNavyVisualNews#g/u
Gitmo is playing a big role.
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/cube-allows-american-flyovers-from-haiti/
January 14, 2010
Cuba Allows American Flyovers From Haiti
By JEFF ZELENY.... reducing the flight time to Miami by 90 minutes.
..... an agreement was reached with the Cuban military for evacuation flights from the United States Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay to pass through the airspace over Cuba on their way to Florida.
By: - 16th January 2010 at 16:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The US abrupt assumption of control of the Haitian airspace, after generating major disconfort yesterday amongst other relief/donor nations apparently has been reverted to the proper Haitian authorities with the US military taking a lesser "supporting" role. The Airport's tower according to news sources has completely crumbled and is totally inoperative.
By yesterday the Brazilian airforce had some 6 relief loaded C-130/B707s in other airports waiting authorization to fly into PAP.
Today three of them have managed to get in there.
Regards, Hammer
By: - 16th January 2010 at 16:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The US Navy site has quite a few pics from ongoing operations.
http://www.navy.mil/view_photos_top.asp
The Qatari Air Force has dispatched one of its brand new C-17s for a massive transfer of 50 tons of aid.
Qatar joins global relief effort in HaitiQNA, Agencies/Doha/ Port-au-Prince
Qatar has become part of the international campaign to rush relief aid to Haiti, which is reeling from a devastating earthquake that struck the Caribbean island nation on Tuesday.
Qatar yesterday sent a strategic transport aircraft (C-17) to Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, loaded with 50tonnes of urgent relief materials to those affected in the quake-hit country.
By: - 16th January 2010 at 19:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The U.S. Military in Haiti: A Compassionate Invasion
Louisiana became the 18th of the United States back in 1812, but you'd never have known it watching the Federal government's ham-fisted response to 2005's Hurricane Katrina. The Obama Administration is doing things differently: Haiti, for all intents and purposes, became the 51st state at 4:53 p.m. Tuesday in the wake of its deadly earthquake. If not a state, then at least a ward of the state - the United States - as Washington mobilized national resources to rush urgent aid to Haiti's stricken people. "Our nation has a unique capacity to reach out quickly and broadly and to deliver assistance that can save lives," President Obama said Friday. "That responsibility obviously is magnified when the devastation that's been suffered is so near to us."
By: - 16th January 2010 at 20:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've not heard anything about landing stuff at airports in the Dominican Republic & moving it in by road, or using any of the usable ports in Haiti, or over the border, or using undamaged airports outside Port-au-Prince (e.g. Cap Haitien). Seems strange to me. Port-au-Prince airport is clogged, & many roads out of it are blocked. The port is reported to be badly damaged. But there are parts of the country not wrecked, & the outlying parts of the earthquake zone (& it extends far beyond P-au-P) must be far more accessible from them than from one overloaded airport in the middle of the devastation.
By: - 16th January 2010 at 22:02 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Santo Domingo is chocked out and is having the same problem as PaP. The border has been closed to only UN and Red Cross shipments only, I do not know how any other agencies are circumventing this problem but it is a bit a rolling goat at the moment.
We had two Il76's scheduled and cleared into PaP but had to to be diverted to Santo Domingo who also had closed due to too much traffic so aircarft diverted to another Dom Rep airfield and is unloading there.
The port facility in PaP is totally wiped out and there is no time estimate when it be serviceable again.
We are planning to send the 225 on 3 flights to Santo Domingo on behalf of the UN from the UN Logistics Base in Brindisi Italy starting on Monday.
By: - 16th January 2010 at 22:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ta. So other routes in are being used, just not getting publicity.
Posts: 694
By: HAWX ace - 14th January 2010 at 16:48
Not sure if this is the right section. If it's not, feel free to move it.
It seems that this recent earthquake incident, tragic as it is, has prompted an international race for sending humanitarian aid from all over the world. Some countries have mobilised any sea or air lift assets the got, whereas others that are too far away or have no means of transfer, simply contribute with money/material or personel such as rescuers and medics.
I start the thread with this link: http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=50498
The US is dispatching the Carl Vinson carrier and the Bataan LHA to the region to provide whatever services they can.
Earthquakes are pretty bad things, I was unlucky enough to grow up in an area with lots of seismic activity, death and destruction. It's a rough time for those people, let us hope there are as few victims and they get as much relief as possible.
Wiki has a massive article on the matter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake