M7 Aerospace in San Antonio, TX received a $12.5 million firm fixed price contract modification to exercise option IX under the contract for contractor logistics support for the C-26B aircraft for the Army National Guard and the RC-26B aircraft for Air National Guard, consisting of maintenance, repair and support functions in FY 2006.
The RC-26B, which normally operates as a counter-drug aircraft, has played a significant role in post-Katrina search and rescue/recovery efforts and may be tasked with a similar role in Hurricane Rita’s aftermath.
The RC-26 is primarily used in conjunction with counterdrug support to local, state and federal Law Enforcement Agencies, and is capable of generating photographs from several angles and altitudes over a specific area. The planes are equipped with TV imaging, thermal imaging, video, photo and communications equipment that can all be used to aid government agencies in operations.
An RC-26 from the Texas National Guard 147th Fighter Wing was tasked with photo missions over New Orleans and surrounding areas. This is one of seven of the counter-drug Program’s RC-26s that have been involved in Gulf Coast recovery operations. Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, New York, Wisconsin and West Virginia have also sent RC-26s to assist in Gulf Coast disaster relief.
The 147th took photographs of the devastation caused by flooding, particularly the breeched levees in New Orleans, for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Army Corps of Engineers. These photos have been used to determine suitable sites for tent cities for evacuees, for evaluating the availability of runways for use, determining evacuation routes and supply drop off sites by air.
All the RC-26 planes have conducted search and rescue missions to report locations of individuals trapped on rooftops of flooded homes and buildings, reporting any findings to the Coast Guard for pick up. Additionally the aircraft have been tasked with supporting law enforcement in search and rescue missions at night using their infrared capabilities. Violent crimes have erupted in the chaos of New Orleans and aircraft from Mississippi, Texas and Wisconsin have provided extensive support to Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm Special Response Teams as they cleared buildings where shootings occurred.
These kinds of activities aren’t exactly new to these pilots, as this program has worked with 5,000 Law Enforcement Agencies in their 16 year history of Counterdrug operations, conducted across the USA’s 54 states and territories.
Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, OK issued the contract (F34601-97-C-0032/P00161).