In support of nationwide mitigation efforts to combat COVID19, the U.S. Navy turned to Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve (CNAFR) to help move the Fleet’s newest Sailors from Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes to their follow-on assignments, as CNAFR has the unparalleled ability to effortlessly pivot aircraft and crew to meet evolving, high-priority tasking.

Navy-unique Fleet Logistics squadrons assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Wing (FLSW) provided daily support to RTC at the request of Navy Air Logistics Office (NALO). NALO schedules Navy Unique Fleet Essential Airlift (NUFEA) assets in support of the Navy and Marine Corps through rapid, flexible, and resilient on-demand air logistics.

This mission-essential transport of personnel ensures the Navy maintains the current accession pipeline for new Sailors throughout the Fleet. Accession training or “A” School is the first stop in a new Sailor’s career. Sailors receive specialized training in their respective fields at “A” schools located across the country. VR squadrons offer a safer alternative to transporting Sailors during a worldwide pandemic.

In the absence of viable commercial air options, CNAFR’s fleet of C-40s supported the transportation of RTC graduates to their respective assignments. Every week, Reserve Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons (VR) transport nearly 500 graduates from RTC along with more than 38,000 pounds of cargo to locations across the country, including Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, NAS North Island, California, Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, Shepard Air Force Base, Texas, Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. 

The C-40A is a military variant of the Boeing 737NG with a 3,000 nautical mile range fully loaded. These aircraft are reconfigurable to support passengers only, cargo only, or both passengers and cargo. Traditionally, the Navy C-40A Clipper provides the Fleet with on-demand, medium cargo airlift capability to rapidly support ongoing naval operations by linking rear-area logistics support to the Carrier Onboard Delivery/Vertical Onboard Delivery (COD/VOD) detachment or pier. These aircraft provide items critical to naval operations like weapons resupply, casualty report parts, moving personnel and replacement, support for COD detachments, Naval Special Warfare deployments, and other equities in a timely manner.

Sustaining this unique Reserve aircraft is critical in order to ensure the Navy continues to receive the support it requires in wartime and contingency operations. The transport of Sailors from RTC is just one example of how CNAFR brings capability and capacity at a reduced cost to the Fleet.

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