SCOTIA, N.Y. — The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing kicked off its 38th year of supporting American science research in Antarctica as four LC-130H “Skibirds” and 45 Airmen departed Stratton Air National Guard Base outside Schenectady, New York, Oct. 15 and 17.
The LC-130s flown by the 109th Airlift Wing are the largest aircraft in the world capable of landing on snow and ice using skis.
From October through February, 275 Airmen will support the United States’ Antarctic research efforts as part of Operation Deep Freeze, or ODF, the Department of War’s annual support to the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic program.
“I’m extremely proud of the Airmen of the 109th Airlift Wing for the professionalism and resilience they’ve shown as we begin the 2025-26 Operation Deep Freeze season,” said Col. Steven Slosek, the wing commander. “Our team adapted to every change, stayed flexible and ensured we launched on time and mission-ready. Their dedication and outstanding work reflect the very best of this wing and our commitment to supporting the National Science Foundation’s mission in Antarctica.”
The flight from New York to Christchurch, New Zealand, where the wing maintains an operating station, takes approximately five days. Most Airmen travel commercially to New Zealand and then fly to Antarctica on board military aircraft.
The aircraft and Airmen operate from McMurdo Station, the U.S. Antarctic research station on the southern tip of Ross Island.
This season, LC-130H aircraft will be flying a specialized laser instrument that measures atmospheric gases on regularly scheduled flights to and from McMurdo Station. The instrument will collect information about how much carbon dioxide is moving in and out of the Southern Ocean for a project called the Southern Ocean Carbon Gas Observatory, or SCARGO, according to the National Science Foundation.
The 109th will also support the IceCube Neutrino Observatory upgrade. According to the National Science Foundation, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory is the first detector of its kind, designed to observe the cosmos from deep within the South Pole ice. An international collective of scientists responsible for the research forms the IceCube Collaboration.
IceCube began construction in 2004 and was completed in 2011.
During the 2024-25 support season, the unit completed 79 missions, transporting personnel, cargo and fuel to key research sites across the continent, including the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and a research station on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
A total of 900 tons of cargo, 1,076 passengers and 120,000 gallons of fuel were transported last season.
“As the season progresses, we look forward to building on this strong start and delivering another safe and successful ODF season,” Slosek said.