INUVIK, Canada - Airmen from the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing have landed an LC-130 Hercules on freshwater ice for the first time in the wing’s history during Operation Nanook-Nunalivut March 5.
Maj. Joseph Shanahan, the ski landing control officer, and a team searched over 25,000 miles of ice along the coast of the Northwest Territories, but none met the requirements for the LC-130 Hercules to land.
Undeterred, the team expanded its search to lakes throughout the area of operations in Inuvik. There, they found Parsons Lake.
The Polar Camp Skiway Team (PCST), comprising 109th, 123rd and 133rd Airlift Wing members, set up their Arctic Camp and built the ski landing area on Parsons Lake.
“With the 123rd Kentucky and 133rd Minnesota Contingency Response Team bringing expertise in flagging and surveying, and the 109th PCST
contributing specialized Arctic skills, we were able to build the ski landing area in one day,” said Master Sgt. Nick Cross, a member of the PCST.
“We were grooming the ski landing area from sunrise to sunset every day to ensure it was ready for the LC-130 to land,” said Master Sgt. Casey Preyer-Blakney, a PCST member.
The PCST set up camp and built a ski landing area with the assistance of the Canadian CC-138 Twin Otter from the 440 Transport Squadron, CH-147F Chinook helicopters from the 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, and CH-146 Griffon helicopters from the 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and 417th Combat Support Squadron.
The aircraft from the Canadian Forces were able to land on the ice to deliver supplies and Airmen to the Arctic Camp.
It took 17 Canadian aircraft flights to drop 23,000 pounds of cargo and personnel at the Arctic Camp.
The 109th flew eight missions during the operation and provided rapid resupply, transporting parts for the CC-138 Twin Otter from Yellowknife back to Inuvik.
“The service members participating in this operation excel in the toughest conditions, adapting quickly to changing plans and unpredictable weather,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Sala, the 109th deployed commander. “From repairing planes in freezing temperatures to testing ice under relentless pressure, they push forward with determination — no mission is left incomplete.”
“We come together and operate, to learn from each other’s abilities to find ways to combine our knowledge to make a stronger force,” said Lt. Col. Steve Thompson, 440 Transport Squadron, the Air Task Force commander of Operation Nanook-Nunalivut. “The interoperability between the Twin Otter and LC-130 Hercules in the past has proven to be a very successful combination and we look forward to working together again in the future.”
Landing LC-130s on fresh water ice opens up significant tactical and strategic opportunities, especially in remote and Arctic regions. Sala said that by using lakes as landing zones, the military gains access to areas otherwise inaccessible by conventional aircraft, enhancing operational flexibility.
This capability allows for rapid deployment of personnel, equipment and supplies to critical locations where traditional runways are unavailable. It also enables quicker responses for Arctic operations, increasing the effectiveness of airlift missions in austere environments.
“We are excited to see what the future holds for the LC-130 Hercules and 109th Airlift Wing as we continue to evolve our capabilities in the Arctic,” Sala said.
The LC-130s flown by the 109th Airlift Wing are the largest tactical aircraft in the world able to land on snow and ice using skis.