Since its introduction to the U.S. Air Force in 1993, the C-17 Globemaster III transport plane has become synonymous with versatility, speed, and expansive capabilities, especially in aeromedical evacuation (AE) scenarios. Beyond its primary function as a transport aircraft, the C-17 seamlessly transforms into a flying intensive care unit, catering to a wide spectrum of patient conditions. This adaptability has cemented its critical role in diverse operations, from transporting warfighters to advanced medical facilities and repatriating patients to the U.S., to delivering vital aid during humanitarian crises and saving lives in disaster-stricken regions.
The following sections will delve into the C-17’s capabilities and highlight pivotal missions that underscore its significance as a premier C17 Transport Plane in aeromedical and global transport operations.
Unmatched Capabilities of the C-17 Transport Plane for Aeromedical Evacuation
Aeromedical evacuation technicians prepare equipment inside a C-17 Globemaster III transport plane
Crewmembers undergo rigorous training specific to the C-17 transport plane, mastering its rapid reconfiguration for diverse AE missions. Their expertise includes meticulous assessment of required medical equipment, ensuring operational readiness, and strategic placement planning for both patients and equipment within the aircraft. The inherent versatility of the C-17 allows it to accommodate up to 74 patients simultaneously, catering to both litter-bound and ambulatory individuals, thereby fulfilling a wide range of AE mission demands. After careful planning, AE teams efficiently convert this large cargo aircraft into a sophisticated airborne medical facility, enabling highly skilled medical personnel to deliver critical en-route care.
Injured service members are loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III for aeromedical evacuation
Each mission aboard a c17 transport plane begins with AE crewmembers meticulously considering the specific medical equipment and patient configurations needed. Medical Airmen greatly value the C-17’s generous interior space, which surpasses the C-130 by 77 feet in length, coupled with a swift cruise speed of 515 mph. This enhanced space allows ample room for medical teams to effectively treat patients, especially those critically ill or injured, and ensures rapid transit to higher echelons of medical care.
Medical personnel assist patients on a C-17 Globemaster III aeromedical evacuation flight
Captain Benjamin Allen from the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Pope Field aptly summarizes the aircraft’s impact: “The sheer versatility of the C-17 transport plane is amazing. One moment the cargo area is filled with equipment, the next it’s filled with wounded warriors for transport to higher echelons of care. I’m honored to fly on an aircraft that has the capability to support such a multitude of capabilities.”
Aeromedical staging personnel transfer wounded service members from a C-17 transport plane
The integration of the C-17 transport plane into the AE fleet has significantly contributed to improved survival rates among wounded service members, reinforcing an already robust and continuously advancing en-route care system. The C-17’s enhanced capacity allows AE crews to transport a greater number of critical patients. Notably, the capabilities of the C-17 have reduced the time required to bring a wounded service member back to the U.S. to three days or less, a dramatic improvement from the previous timeframe of 10 days. Furthermore, the C-17’s built-in attachments for central oxygen and electrical systems are instrumental in enhancing survival prospects, particularly for the most critically ill patients.
Critical Care Air Transport Team physician attends to a patient on a C-17 Globemaster III
The expansive space and integrated support systems of the C-17 transport plane facilitate increased patient movement and accommodate a greater volume of life-saving medical equipment and medical Airmen required to provide comprehensive en-route care to critically ill and injured patients. Critical care air transport teams (CCATTs) are frequently deployed to augment AE crews in managing these complex patient transports. A CCATT comprises a highly specialized three-person medical team, typically including a physician specializing in critical care or emergency medicine, a critical care nurse, and a respiratory therapist.
Contingency Support Missions Utilizing the C-17 Transport Plane
Aeromedical evacuation crew positions a patient for flight on a C-17 Globemaster III
Former commander of the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, Lt. Col. Kathleen Flarity, highlighted the C-17 transport plane‘s popularity among AE crewmembers: “[The C-17] is big, bright and spacious with many built-in amenities such as medical-grade oxygen and buttons patients can push to call for assistance.” She emphasized the continuous improvements in equipment and procedures aimed at delivering increasingly sophisticated levels of care to wounded warriors from Afghanistan to the United States.
A C-17 transport plane flies over Charleston during a training mission
The U.S. Air Force received its first C-17 Globemaster III transport plane at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, on June 14, 1993, marking the beginning of its remarkable service. With the first C-17 squadron becoming operational in January 1995, this aircraft has, for over 25 years, earned the reputation as a “do-anything, go-anywhere airframe.” The C-17’s capacity for long-range critical patient transport has been instrumental in enhancing battlefield survival rates. A testament to its rapid response capability was demonstrated in 2003 when medical Airmen aboard a C-17 transported a Soldier wounded in an Afghanistan ambush to Germany, ensuring timely advanced medical care following initial surgery.
Aeromedical evacuation squadron provides in-flight care on a C-17 transport plane
In August 2015, the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron played a crucial role in responding to an attack on a U.S. military installation in Kabul, utilizing the C-17 transport plane to move injured service members. Maj. Jonathan Freeman, a 455th EAES flight nurse, detailed his responsibilities as medical crew director: “My responsibility was overseeing the overall mission of getting the patients moved from Bagram to Ramstein,” including coordinating with the C-17 aircrew, ensuring proper aircraft configuration, and integrating AE and CCAT teams for safe and effective patient care.
Patient Transport Missions Showcasing the C-17 Transport Plane’s Range
Critical care air transport team attends to a patient on a long-range C-17 flight
In an extraordinary display of long-range aeromedical capability, a Critical Care Air Transport team, alongside Airmen from the 10th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight and an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation team, undertook an 8,000-mile journey on a C-17 transport plane. Their mission was to transport a critically injured Soldier from Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, to advanced care facilities in the United States. Despite the uncommon need for in-flight refueling during an AE mission due to potential turbulence, a MacDill KC-135 Stratotanker crew refueled the C-17 to ensure the Soldier’s rapid arrival to specialized care.
Airmen load equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster III for aeromedical evacuation
Maj. Steven Radaker of the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron highlighted the speed and reassurance provided by the C-17 transport plane: “In 2012 when an IED had went off, we were able to land in Bagram Airfield and move those affected quickly, and safely and get them to Landstuhl [Regional Medical Center] for advanced care. We were able set these patients minds at ease after such a traumatic event. The 18th AES, along with the C-17 aircrew, showed these patients that they can depend on us getting to them quickly and providing the critical care they need.“
Aeromedical staging personnel transport wounded service members from a C-17 transport plane onto buses
The substantial capacity of the C-17 transport plane is crucial in large-scale patient transfers. In May 2010, the 375th Aeromedical Staging Flight managed its largest patient influx since February of that year, receiving 49 wounded warriors across two missions. The ASF routinely transfers over 1,500 patients annually, and the C-17’s capabilities make these significant missions feasible.
A C-17 Globemaster III on the runway at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
The C-17 transport plane‘s adaptability extends to extreme environments. Following its final flight of the Antarctic winter season, the 304th Expeditionary Air Squadron swiftly responded to a medical emergency at McMurdo Station in August 2018. Despite frigid conditions of -65.2 Fahrenheit, the crew successfully evacuated a critically ill patient and another requiring urgent medical attention, demonstrating the C-17’s readiness and capability to operate under challenging circumstances.
Critical care air transport team nurse looks on as a patient is comforted inside a C-17 transport plane
Capt. Kai Yamashiro of the 21st AS emphasized the rewarding nature of AE missions on the C-17 transport plane: “AE missions are rewarding missions because it affords us the opportunity to serve military members and their families. Without our ability to coordinate and work side by side with each other, this mission wouldn’t be feasible. Our teams work and train hard every day to be able to provide operational support for our fellow Airmen and their families in times of need.”
Flight nurse guides medical personnel onto a C-17 Globemaster III
In March 2017, a C-17 transport plane facilitated the transfer of two critically ill patients from Misawa Air Base, Japan. Staff Sgt. Brek Halgren of the 35th Medical Support Squadron highlighted the complex coordination involved, including the deployment of specialized teams to manage a patient in critical condition.
Medical personnel test a Giraffe omnibed inside a C-17 transport plane
The C-17 transport plane‘s adaptability extends to unique patient needs, as demonstrated in May 2017 when a specialized “Giraffe” omnibed system, typically used in neonatal ICUs, was secured within a C-17 to transport a 16-month-old burn victim. This marked the first instance of this system being utilized on a C-17, showcasing the aircraft’s capacity to accommodate unconventional medical equipment.
Contingency aeromedical staging facility team prepares a patient for C-17 transport
Medical Airmen like Maj. Julianna Olson of the 332nd Expeditionary Aeromedical Squadron emphasize the rapid patient transfer capabilities of the C-17 transport plane: “It can be as quick as ‘tail to tail’ for some of our clinically wounded – where a plane comes in from a (forward operating base), we unload them into an ambulance and move them to another plane on the runway to take off to Germany.” The C-17 ensures patient comfort and safety even during these rapid transfers.
Humanitarian Support Enhanced by the C-17 Transport Plane
A C-17 Globemaster III approaches Rinas Airport in Albania during Operation SHINING HOPE
During Operation Shining Hope in 1999, C-17 Globemaster III transport planes played a pivotal role in delivering humanitarian aid to Kosovar refugees. The initial four AE missions from Tirana, Albania, were conducted using C-17s, highlighting the aircraft’s effectiveness and flexibility in humanitarian operations.
Reserve Airmen assist patients aboard a C-17 Globemaster III in St. Croix after Hurricane Maria
In the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Reserve Airmen from the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron rapidly configured a C-17 transport plane to manage a surge of patients requiring evacuation from the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Croix. This mission exemplified the C-17’s capacity to save lives and provide AE crews with invaluable real-world deployment experience.
Nurse checks on a patient's medical equipment during a C-17 evacuation flight
Beyond its capacity and speed, the C-17 transport plane significantly enhances patient comfort during AE missions. Features such as increased space, improved lighting, built-in stanchions, effective climate control, and even the provision of warm beverages contribute to a more comfortable and supportive environment for patients and crew alike during transit.
In conclusion, the C-17 Globemaster III transport plane stands as a cornerstone of modern air mobility and aeromedical evacuation. Its unparalleled versatility, capacity, and speed, combined with continuous technological and procedural advancements, ensure its enduring role in supporting both military operations and humanitarian endeavors worldwide. The C-17 remains a vital asset, ready to respond whenever and wherever it is needed, solidifying its place as a premier transport aircraft for decades to come.
