Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Aircraft Ramp Opens at Camp Lemonnier

Aircraft Ramp Opens at Camp Lemonnier: "After more than nine months of work and $12 million in funding, a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules became the first aircraft to utilize a new apron at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ), Dec. 22, marking the beginning of operational missions on the apron known as 'Enduring Ramp'.

'Initially, Camp Lemonnier was built as an expeditionary base with expeditionary hardware,' said Lt. j.g. John Woods, the air operations officer at CLDJ. 'The opening of this concrete ramp confirms that Camp Lemonnier is transitioning into an enduring role, thus naming the ramp Enduring.'

The apron is 219 meters by 126 meters and is designed to provide three parking spaces for C-130 Hercules aircraft as well as a parking pad for the CV-22 Osprey aircraft. Enduring Ramp will also support parking for aircraft as large as the C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy."