Their eyes were not playing tricks on them. A massive C-17 Globemaster cargo plane touched down at Fort Dodge Regional Airport as a part of a training exercise involving Air Force and Air National Guard units in three states.

The 133rd Test Squadron, the Iowa Air National Guard unit based next to the airport, has a major role in the exercise called Southern Strike.

“The 133rd Test Squadron, out of Fort Dodge, Iowa, has acted as the lead command and control agency for this exercise,” Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Bradley, a member of the squadron, said in a written statement.

“They will control military aircraft using different radar and radio systems in order to maintain safety of flight and tactical integration,” he added.

-Submitted photo
The interior of C-17 Globemaster cargo plane operated by the Mississippi Air National Guard that was on the tarmac at Fort Dodge Regional Airport recently is shown. The large cargo plane visited as part of a muti-state military exercise in which the Fort Dodge based 133rd Test Squadron played a major role. The Test Squadron directed all the participating planes using radar and radio systems.

The C-17 that landed in Fort Dodge is operated by the Mississippi Air National Guard.

“When military aircraft like this come in, it sparks the curiosity in the community and all of us at the airport, too,’ said Rhonda Chambers, the airport’s director of aviation.

“The 133rd Test Squadron has a huge economic impact on our community which usually goes unnoticed until an event such as this occurs,” she added. “We are extremely grateful for the partnership we have with the 133rd Test Squadron. They are a great asset with highly skilled and knowledgeable individuals that work and live in our community.”

The other major unit involved in the exercise is the 4th Fighter Wing, stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.

The entire exercise is hosted by the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Mississippi.

C-17 Globemaster Facts

Length: 174 feet

Height: 55 feet

Wingspan: 169 feet,10 inches

Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney turbofans

Crew: Three

Carry capacity: 170,900 pounds