US Army Air Drop into Shoalwater Bay Training Area From 5x USAF and 2x RAAF C-17 Globemaster Aircraft Wednesday

On Wednesday 8 July, over 400 United States Army (US Army) paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, have parachuted from seven C-17 Globemasters onto Kapyong Air Field, in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, as part of joint Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David N. Beckstrom, 19th Public Affairs Detachment

Sadly, for local plane spotters, none of the five United States Air Force (USAF) and two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft flew anywhere near Rockhampton Airport, flying instead from Shoalwater Bay to a position West of Rocky then Thangool and down to RAAF Base Amberley where all seven C-17s landed in quick succession.

The seven C-17s that participated were as follows:
USAF:
09-9211 "Reach 761"
09-9208 "Reach 762"
98-0056 "Reach 763"
08-8194 "Reach 764"
09-9207 "Reach 765"
RAAF:
A41-211 "Ausy 597"
A41-210 "Ausy 598"

What an awesome sight!