An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Sept. 23, 2015

New Jersey's 177th Fighter Wing practices heavy-lifting skills

By Senior Airman Shane Karp 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard

WILDWOOD, N.J. - More than 20 members of the 177th Fighter Wing Crash Disabled Damaged Aircraft Recovery team participated in training on Sept. 19, involving crane-lifting an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, New Jersey.

The training is necessary for completing a tri-annual certification, and the real-world use is in the event an F-16 is immobile and needs to be lifted by a crane and moved off the runway area, said Tech. Sgt. Robert Taylor, a CDDAR team member.

“Our main goal is to remove the aircraft as quickly and safely as possible, without causing any secondary damage,” Taylor said.

“We haven’t had to use this maneuver in a real-world scenario, and hopefully never do, but this team is very capable of handling it,” said Master Sgt. Chris Foye, a 177th FW CDDAR team member.

The 177th FW CDDAR team is a secondary duty for these Airmen and includes specialists from almost every Air Force Specialty Code within the maintenance squadron.

“In the event a plane went down, we need Airmen who are familiar from each component,” Taylor said. “Not everybody’s specialized in everything, but everyone is specialized in something.”

 

 

Related Articles
Lt. Col. Zachery Powell cuts the ribbon at the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Medical ribbon cutting ceremony April 17, 2025, at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho, to mark the opening of a new Medical Training Facility. The building, which provides laboratories, exam rooms, administrative areas, classrooms, record storage, and mobility-training storage for the 124th Fighter Wing’s 124th Medical Group, was completed in March 2025.
Idaho Air National Guard Opens Medical Training Facility
By Staff Sgt. Jadyn Eisenbrandt  | April 18, 2025
GOWEN FIELD, Idaho —The Idaho Air National Guard held a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday to mark the opening of a new Medical Training Facility on Gowen Field for the 124th Fighter Wing.The building, which provides...

U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Steven Lucas, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter standardization instructor with F Company, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, Maryland Army National Guard, performs rescue hoist operations aboard a Black Hawk in collaboration with the Maryland Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, April 9, 2025. MD-HART is made up of firefighters who routinely train with the Maryland Army Guard in preparation for response efforts during the hurricane season, tropical storms, and other emergency situations.
Maryland National Guard conducts rescue hoist training with Maryland Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team
By Staff Sgt. Amber Peck, | April 18, 2025
EDGEWOOD, Md. — Soldiers with the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, Maryland Army National Guard conducted rescue hoist training with the Maryland Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, April 9...

Soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are honored during a deployment ceremony at the Cajundome Convention Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, April 13, 2025. Approximately 700 Soldiers are deploying in support of Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo and Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa, where they will provide security and support operations.
La. Guard’s ‘Tiger Brigade’ holds deployment ceremony for overseas mission
By Louisiana National Guard | April 18, 2025
PINEVILLE, La. - About 700 Soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, known as the “Tiger Brigade,” were honored last week during a deployment ceremony.The Guardsmen are deploying to...