220210-F-AU145-1008

Operation Deep Freeze is the codename for the Department of Defense joint, inter-agency support of scientific research in Antarctica. The US Air Force has provided annual support for the mission since 1955. Transporting personnel and critical supplies to the most remote and inhospitable location on the planet is no easy task. USAF airmen and aircraft face many challenges operating in the harsh arctic environment where seasonal temperatures can drop lower than -30 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite these difficulties, the dedicated men and women of the USAF provide regular aerial resupply, medical assistance, and transportation to the scientists of the National Science Founda tion (NSF) and US Antarctic Program (USAP). These scientists study Antarctica’s glaciers and geology, climate, weather, and marine life. The US Air Force is a proud partner to peaceful scientific research and exploration in Antarctica. A ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules sits on the ice runway at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during OPERATION DEEP FREEZE in 2007. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)