C-17 Tactical Approaches

The C-17 Globemaster III was designed from the outset to go where other airlifters cannot. While the C-5 Galaxy requires long, prepared runways, the C-17 can deliver cargo and troops directly to austere forward operating locations using tactical approach procedures that would be impossible for larger transports. These specialized techniques—steep descents, short-field landings, assault approaches—define what makes the C-17 a true combat delivery platform.

Assault Landing: The Signature Capability

The assault landing is the C-17’s signature tactical approach. Using thrust reversers deployed in flight combined with externally blown flaps, crews can fly approach angles up to 15 degrees—nearly three times steeper than a normal 3-degree glide path.

Key elements of the assault landing include:

• Steep approach angle: Typically 6-15 degrees versus 3 degrees for normal operations
• In-flight thrust reversers: Deployed above 1,000 feet to control descent rate
• High sink rate: Up to 2,000 feet per minute versus 700 fpm normally
• Short landing roll: 3,500 feet versus 7,000+ feet for conventional landing
• Maximum effort braking: Full antiskid braking immediately after touchdown

This capability allows the C-17 to operate into airfields that are too short, too close to threats, or too constrained for other large aircraft.

The Randomized Steep Approach

In threat environments, predictability kills. The Randomized Steep Approach (RSA) adds tactical unpredictability to the assault landing profile. Crews vary their approach path, descent angle, and timing to prevent enemy forces from establishing effective firing solutions.

RSA techniques include:

• Offset approaches: Beginning the descent from unpredictable directions
• Variable descent angles: Changing the glide path to confuse threat systems
• Delayed configuration: Keeping flaps and gear up longer to maintain speed and maneuvering capability
• Unpredictable timing: Varying the approach speed and deceleration points

Combat Offload: Speed on the Ground

Getting cargo out quickly is as important as getting the aircraft in. Combat offload procedures minimize ground time in hostile territory:

• Engine running offload (ERO): Keeping engines running while cargo is downloaded
• Combat taxi speed: Moving the aircraft while loadmasters manage cargo
• Rapid ramp operations: Practiced procedures to get vehicles and cargo off in minutes
• Backup capability: Using thrust reversers to reposition on limited ramp space

A well-trained crew can deliver a combat load and be airborne again in under 15 minutes—leaving minimal window for enemy response.

Night Vision Goggle Operations

Many tactical missions occur under cover of darkness using Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). The C-17’s NVG-compatible cockpit and lighting systems enable covert approaches when visual signature must be minimized.

NVG tactical operations require:

• Blacked-out aircraft: External lighting reduced or eliminated
• NVG-compatible cockpit: All displays and lighting compatible with goggle sensitivity
• Terrain awareness: EGPWS and radar altimeter integration with HUD
• Formation procedures: Maintaining visual contact with other aircraft using NVGs
• Covert lighting: Infrared lights visible only through goggles for landing zone marking

Zone Markers and Visual Acquisition

Finding a tactical landing zone at night in hostile territory requires precise coordination. Zone markers may include:

• Infrared panels: Visible through NVGs but invisible to the naked eye
• VS-17 panels: Bright orange/pink panels visible during daytime operations
• Ground controller guidance: Radio calls providing visual acquisition assistance
• GPS coordinates: Precise waypoints loaded into the flight management system

Low-Level Tactical Navigation

Getting to the objective area often requires flying at low altitude to avoid radar detection. The C-17’s terrain-following capability and EGPWS allow low-level flight in mountainous terrain:

• Military Training Routes (MTRs): Designated low-level training corridors
• Terrain Following: Manual flight using radar altimeter and terrain displays
• Contour navigation: Following valleys and ridges to mask from threats
• Pop-up profiles: Climbing quickly to pattern altitude for final approach

Formation Tactical Approaches

When multiple C-17s operate together, formation procedures maximize cargo delivery while maintaining safety. Formation tactical approaches may involve:

• Trail formation: Aircraft following the leader with set spacing
• Stream landings: Multiple aircraft landing in sequence on a single runway
• Simultaneous operations: Multiple aircraft operating at different points on parallel surfaces
• Staggered timing: Spacing arrivals to allow each aircraft time to clear

Threat Assessment and Mitigation

Before any tactical approach, crews conduct thorough threat assessment:

• Intelligence briefings: Current enemy disposition and capabilities
• Defensive systems check: Radar warning receivers and countermeasures operational
• Approach routing: Path that minimizes exposure to known threats
• Escape procedures: Pre-planned routes if hostile fire is encountered
• Recovery options: Alternate landing sites if primary becomes unusable

Crew Coordination During Tactical Approaches

Tactical approaches require tight coordination among all crew members:

• Pilots: Flying the approach profile and managing aircraft configuration
• Loadmaster: Monitoring cargo restraint and preparing for rapid offload
• All crew: Scanning for threats and calling out visual references

Standard callouts ensure everyone knows the approach status: “Gear down, cleared to land, 60 seconds” keeps all crew members synchronized.

Weather Considerations

Tactical approaches have different weather limitations than normal operations. Crews must consider:

• Visibility requirements: Higher minimums for NVG and visual approaches
• Crosswind limits: Reduced limits on short, narrow runways
• Precipitation: Effect on braking action and NVG effectiveness
• Density altitude: Performance degradation at hot, high airfields

Training for Tactical Operations

Proficiency in tactical approaches requires extensive training:

• Initial qualification: Basic tactical approach procedures at Altus AFB
• Mission qualification: Advanced tactics at the operational squadron
• Recurring training: Regular practice to maintain currency
• Exercise participation: Large force exercises with realistic threat scenarios
• Weapons school: Advanced tactical training for instructor-qualified crews

The Airplane That Goes Anywhere

The C-17’s tactical approach capabilities set it apart from any other large transport aircraft in the world. No other airlifter of its size can deliver cargo to a 3,500-foot dirt strip in hostile territory at night using NVGs. This capability—refined through decades of combat experience from Afghanistan to Iraq to humanitarian missions worldwide—ensures that American forces can be supplied wherever they operate, no matter how austere or dangerous the conditions.

Conclusion

Tactical approaches represent the C-17 at its finest: advanced technology meeting exceptional crew skill to accomplish missions others cannot. From the steep descent angle to the maximum-effort landing roll, from NVG operations to combat offload procedures, these techniques embody the aircraft’s design philosophy. The C-17 doesn’t just deliver cargo—it delivers it where and when it’s needed, regardless of the tactical situation on the ground.