The 105th Airlift Wing is the host unit for Stewart Air National Guard Base. Located in Newburgh, New York, the 105th has been located at Stewart since 1983. The C-17 Globemaster III is the most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to bases. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improves the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States. The C-17 measures 174 feet long with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches. The aircraft is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines and operated by a crew of three (pilot, co-pilot, and loadmaster).

The 106th Rescue Wing deploys worldwide to provide combat search and rescue coverage for U.S. and allied forces. In December 1994, the 106th established the record for the longest over water helicopter rescue mission when it saved a Ukrainian sailor in the icy waters off the North Atlantic. The 106th may be best known for a mission during a 1991 storm made famous by the movie “The Perfect Storm.” The HH-60 is tasked to perform day and night personnel recovery operations in hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war, civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, security cooperation/aviation advisory, NASA space flight support, and rescue command and control.

Photo by LSB Photography

As the Navy’s first stealth fighter and the world’s only 5th Generation, long-range stealth strike fighter, the F-35C was designed and built explicitly for aircraft carrier operations. The F-35C is operated exclusively by the U.S. Department of the Navy and brings radar-evading stealth capability to the carrier deck for the first time in U.S. naval aviation history. With stealth technology, advanced sensors, supersonic speed, weapons capacity and superior range, the F-35C is the most advanced fighter to ever operate aboard a carrier deck.

Photo by David Daris

With a top speed of 1,200 mph, the F-35 is even capable of setting off sonic booms! The supersonic, multi-role F-35 represents a quantum leap in air dominance capability with enhanced lethality and survivability in hostile, anti-access airspace environments.

The F-35 has the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history, giving pilots 360-degree access to “real-time” battlefield information. The information gathered by F-35 sensors can be securely shared with commanders at sea, in the air or on the ground, providing a comprehensive view of ongoing operations.

Photo by Todd R. McQueen

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds (431 Air Demonstration Squadron) is a Canadian icon comprised of serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Their pilots and technicians work as a team to bring thrilling performances to the North American public. Serving as Canadian ambassadors, the Snowbirds demonstrate the Skill, Professionalism and Teamwork inherent in the women and men of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and its contribution to the Second World War air effort and the Allied victory was an important chapter in Canada’s history, leaving a legacy in our communities for generations to come.

The United States Army Parachute Team, known as the Golden Knights, is a combination of expert teams and Soldiers brought together by their love of skydiving. This includes parachute teams, aircraft pilots, and those who handle jump logistics behind the scenes.

For over fifty-six years, members of the U. S. Army Parachute Team have been marking the milestones of achievement and an evolution of excellence serving as “Ambassadors” of the Army’s only official Demonstration team. The Golden Knights portray the image of being the most formidable parachuting competitors and demonstrators in the world today. If you mention the name “Golden Knights” to someone today in any of the fifty states, and most likely what comes to mind is a phenomenal demonstration they watched in past years at an air show or sporting event. But if you mention it to a sport parachutist, they will most probably think of the competitors they jumped against or heard about in parachute meets across the country or abroad.

The Strategic Army Command Parachute Team, or STRAC, was formed in 1959 by nineteen “Airborne” Soldiers from various military units. Brigadier General Joseph Stilwell Jr. was responsible for gathering these Soldiers with the original intent to compete during the Cold War effort. This new U.S. All-Army team swept the international competition circuit, in what was then the Soviet dominated sport of skydiving. Later that year, on November 1, this newly formed team performed their first demonstration in Danville, Virginia.

In 1961, the Department of Defense announced on June 15, that the STRAC team would become the United States Army Parachute Team. The team is one of three authorized DoD aerial demonstration teams, along with the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels.

On October 15, 1962, the team earned the nickname the “Golden Knights” on the competition field of battle. Golden, signifying the gold medals the team had won; Knights, proving that they were world champions and the fact that the Team had “conquered the skies.”

Photo by LSB Photography