In June 2025, the New York Army National Guard (NYARNG) and the New York Air National Guard (NYANG) conducted a joint training exercise to hone their skills both in their own fields of expertise but also to improve their abilities of working together. The skills being tested on this exercise were tactical combat casualty care and patient movement.

The NYARNG visited from Camp Smith Army National Guard Base, while the exercise took place on the apron of the NYANG’s Stewart Air National Guard Base.

The Stewart Air National Guard Base is home to the 105th Airlift Wing, serving as its host unit. The unit operates Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs, which are used to rapidly deliver troops and cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in deployment areas. Additionally, the craft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions, and can transport litters and ambulatory patients during air medical evacuations, as was the case for part of the training exercise pictured.

The C-17 is 53m long with a wingspan of 51.75m. The aircraft is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines. It is operated by a crew of three (pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster). Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft ramp and door system that accommodates virtually all of the Army’s air-transportable equipment, such as a 69-ton M1 Abrams main battle tank, armored vehicles, trucks and trailers. Additionally, the cargo floor has rollers that can be flipped from a flat floor to accommodate wheeled or tracked vehicles to rollerized conveyers to accommodate palletized cargo. The C-17 is designed to be able to airdrop 102 paratroopers with their accompanying equipment.

The NYARNG is not without its own aerial mobility, as it has UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters stationed around the state, used for roles that include troop transport, casevac, firefighting and utility.  

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