During the three and a half years of Operation Afghan

During the three and a half years of Operation Afghan Assist, the E-3A Component sent a lot of material downrange to support the aircrew and aircraft at Mazar-e Sharif. Although, the last AWACS returned from Afghanistan in September, the Component is still working to return the rest of its deployed assets to Germany. To move the larger pieces of equipment, the Component has enlisted the services of the Condor, the NATO reporting name for an Antonow AN-124. One of these massive jets, the AN-124 is the world's highest gross weight production cargo airplane and second heaviest operating cargo aircraft, landed in Liege, Belgium, Oct. 14,2014, with 77,959 kilograms (171,870.175 pounds) of the Component’s cargo. Personnel from NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen were on hand to help off-load the 14 pieces of equipment, which included an aircraft tow truck and three generators. (Photos by Tech. Sgt. Pete Demkow)