Lockheed Martin Aircraft Support Global COVID-19 Relief Efforts

Across the globe, Lockheed Martin-produced aircraft are making a difference aiding COVID-19 relief and recovery missions. Airlifters including the C-130 Hercules, C-5 Super Galaxy, Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter and even the storied Electra are playing critical roles delivering medical crews and supplies where the needs are greatest.  

Here are a few highlights of ways operators are using these aircraft to lift-up relief efforts in this historic time:

_{Aircrew members on a Dobbins C-130H Hercules pose for a photo wearing masks on April 5, 2020. Pictured from left to right, clockwise, are Capt. Latessa Meader, co-pilot; Maj. Jonathan Bonde, navigator; Tech. Sgt. Joey Burnett, flight engineer; and Maj. Brian Metzger, aircraft commander. U.S. Air Force photo released by 1st Lt. Alan Abernethy.}

Five U.S. Air Force Reserve medical personnel departed Dobbins Air Reserve Base (ARB) in Georgia to join the coronavirus relief efforts in New York. The Dobbins C-130H Hercules made several other stops along the way to pick up more Reserve Citizen Airmen

“It took a huge effort to put this all together, not only from our medical personnel, but also from our aircrews, maintenance, logistics and many others,” said Col. Craig McPike, 94th Airlift Wing commander. “The response I’ve seen is amazing. Service before self, happening right before my eyes.”

_{Cmdr. James Willingham, an HC-130 Hercules pilot, flies into Pago Pago, American Samoa, April 1, 2020. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class David Pepicelli, Amanda Wyrick.}

The U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worked in concert to ensure a timely delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) to health care workers in the U.S. Territory of American Samoa, carried aboard a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules.

“The successful and rapid delivery of vital supplies was coordinated among different government agencies and the military to respond to this unprecedented crisis,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Halsey Burks, 15th Wing commander. “The steps we take to protect the force during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to allow us to operate at the ‘speed of need.’ I am incredibly proud of our crews that delivered this aid and sleep well at night knowing they are just a phone call away from answering the next urgent request.”

_{Arizona National Guard personnel prepare boxes of PPE for transport to the Navajo Nation in Chinle, Arizona, April 4, 2020, at Papago Park Military Reservation. U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sergeant Kelly Greenwell.}

According to the Arizona Republic newspaper, the Arizona National Guard used Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters to airlift PPE to health care workers fighting the coronavirus in Navajo County. The PPE ordered filled a shortage identified by an Arizona National Guard medical assessment team.

“The clinic at Kayenta was totally out of supplies,” Col. Timothy Pfeifer said in a statement. “When something happens like this coronavirus outbreak, the demand for PPE is greater than the normal on-hand supply. There isn’t always a supply for conditions like this and when the whole world is looking for PPE it is hard to get re-supply.”

_{Medical technicians with the 433rd Airlift Wing board an Air Force Reserve C-5M Super Galaxy at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, April 5, 2020. U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Timothy Wade.}

Within 48 hours of notification, the U.S. Air Force Reserve mobilized more than 120 medical personnel across the nation to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, to help with the fight against COVID-19 in New York. Knowing the big task these clinicians were facing, it was fitting that a C-5 Super Galaxy – the U.S. Air Force’s largest aircraft – ensured the delivery of these vitally important medical teams. 

_{A Lockheed Electra at Brno-Tuřany Airport in Czech Republic. Facebook photo by Brno-Tuřany Airport.}

The legendary Lockheed Electra joined the global fight against the coronavirus in the Czech Republic. The aircraft was seen delivering medical supplies at the Brno-Tuřany Airport, as reported by the airport’s official social media feeds.

_{A C-130 cargo plane of the Spanish Air Force carrying 10,000 protective medical suits donated by the Czech Republic reached Spain on March 29 as part of allied efforts to combat the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. NATO released photo by Ruben Somonte.}

NATO reports a Spanish Air Force C-130 Hercules transported 10,000 protective medical suits donated by the Czech Republic to Spain. The airlifter also delivered 90 respirators. Spain requested assistance through NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC).

“The Centre operates on a 24/7 basis, coordinating requests from NATO Allies and partners, as well as offers of assistance to cope with the consequences of major crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu. “We are grateful to the Czech Republic for this generous bilateral aid to other NATO Allies – this is solidarity in action.”

Here's more on how Lockheed Martin airlifters are supporting global COVID-19 relief efforts:

• Bristow Americas transports potential infectious disease patients, to include COVID-19
• Blackhawk lands in Scalzi Park, general visits crews at Stamford Hospital
• Tunisian Air Force C-130Js travel to Hong Kong
• Indian Air Force uses C-130Js to transport 25 tons of medical supplies in three days

Lockheed Martin is proud of the positive impact its aircraft are making during the global pandemic. The men and women of Lockheed Martin are also supporting their local communities. Learn more about how they are making a difference:

• Commitment to Hiring
• Employees Donate Personal Protective Equipment 
• Food Service Providers Deliver Meals