Ramstein receives largest ammo shipment since Operation Allied Force

Ramstein receives largest ammo shipment since Operation Allied Force

By Dario Leone
Nov 3 2018
Share this article

Approximately 100 containers with a variety of munitions rolled into Ramstein during the month of October

The 86th Munitions Squadron (MUNS) on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, received its largest shipment of ordnance in recent history. As told by Senior Airman Joshua Magbanua, 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, in his article Armed and Ready: Ramstein receives largest ammo shipment in years, approximately 100 containers with a variety of munitions rolled into Ramstein during the month of October.

Master Sgt. David Head, 86th MUNS Munitions Operations section chief, noted that a delivery of such magnitude has not taken place since the late 20th century.

“This is the largest shipment of its kind since Operation Allied Force, which took place in 1999,” he said, referring to a 78-day campaign where aircraft flew 900 sorties to counter ethnic cleansing in Eastern Europe. “The munitions that we received will be used for future theater operations and the evolving U.S. European Command presence.”

Master Sgt. Arthur Myrick, 86th MUNS munitions flight chief, added that the stockpile would be used to support NATO’s European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) and augment the Air Force’s War Reserve Materiel in Europe.

Ramstein receives largest ammo shipment since Operation Allied Force

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeric HErnandez, 86th Munitions Squadron quality assurance inspector, inspects a fresh shipment of large ordnance on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 19, 2018. Ramstein recently received one of its largest munitions shipments in recent history.

According to officials, EDI aims to increase responsiveness and readiness by pre-positioning ammunition, fuel and equipment to enhance the U.S. Department of Defense’s ability to provide a rapid response against threats made by aggressive actors.

Myrick expounded on the importance of his squadron’s role in the Air Force’s global operations.

“We’re a major airlift hub for U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, so our main job is to get munitions where they need to be on time,” he said. “These are real-world munitions to fulfill real-world objectives. That’s the reason we are downloading these things: to make sure we have the capability to move the fight forward if need be.”

Ramstein receives largest ammo shipment since Operation Allied Force

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 86th Munitions Squadron unpack a fresh shipment of munitions on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Oct. 19, 2018. The 86th MUNS recently received what its leaders call the largest shipment of ordnance in many years.

Photo credit: Senior Airman Joshua Magbanua / U.S. Air Force


Share this article

Dario Leone

Dario Leone

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share this article


Share this article
Share this article

Always up to date! News and offers delivered directly to you!

Get the best aviation news, stories and features from The Aviation Geek Club in our newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.



    Share this article
    Back to top
    My Agile Privacy
    This website uses technical and profiling cookies. Clicking on "Accept" authorises all profiling cookies. Clicking on "Refuse" or the X will refuse all profiling cookies. By clicking on "Customise" you can select which profiling cookies to activate. We and our selected ad partners can store and/or access information on your device, such as cookies, unique identifiers, browsing data. You can always choose the specific purposes related to profiling by accessing the advertising preferences panel, and you can always withdraw your consent at any time by clicking on "Manage consent" at the bottom of the page.

    List of some possible advertising permissions:

    You can consult: our list of advertising partners, the Cookie Policy and the Privacy Policy.
    Warning: some page functionalities could not work due to your privacy choices