US Vice President Mike Pence Visits Sydney

By Grahame Hutchison on Monday, 24th April 2017

US Vice President Mike Pence visited Sydney over the weekend for Security and Trade talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

In preparation for his visit, two USAF C-17A Globemaster III transports arrived on Thursday 20th April with Secret Service security and logistics staff and vehicles. The C-17 commonly performs tactical and strategic airlift missions, transporting troops and cargo throughout the world. The aircraft is 53m long, has a 52m wingspan, and the cargo compartment is 27m long, 5.5m wide, and 3.76m high. The four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines develop 40,400 lbf of thrust, and the thrust reversers direct engine exhaust air upwards and forward to reduce the risk of foreigh object ingestion. The thrust reversers can also be used in flight at idle-reverse for added drag in maximum-rate descents. The minumum runway length requirement is 1,100m, and a width of 27m, and on the ground the engine thrust reversers can be used to move the aircraft backwards along runways and taxiways.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operates a fleet of eight Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft, with serials A40-206 to A40-213

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 vacating Runway 34L on the Bravo 9 Rapid

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 taxiing on Bravo for the DOM 6 Apron

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 on Taxiway Echo heading for the DOM 6 Apron

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 turning right onto Taxiway Golf for the DOM 6 Apron

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 edges forward to the Tug Connect point under the guidance of the Ground Marshall

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 has shutdown and ground crew wait for the forward door to be opened

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 lowers the in-built stairway

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 prepares for Qantas Tug Red Kilo to be connected to push them back onto Bay 99

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 being pushed back onto Bay 99 - nose gear close up

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 being pushed back onto Bay 99 by Qantas Tug Red Kilo

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 forward emblems, and below the Northrop Grumman LAIRCM system (Large Aircraft Infrared Counter Measures)

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 has completed the push onto Bay 99 and the forward door is re-opened

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 starts the unloading process through the lowered rear ramp - a Secret Service Ford Suburban is first off

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 unloads a Secret Service logistics van with rear door hydraulic lift platform

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 arrives and taxies along Runway 25 to the DOM 6 Apron

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 about to turn left onto Taxiway Echo

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 turns onto Taxiway Echo

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 being directed by the Ground Marshall to the Tug connect point

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 edges forward to the Tug Connect point

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 signalled to stop on the Tug Connect Point

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 prepares to have Qantas Tug Red Kilo connect for the pushback onto Bay 98

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 waits for Qantas Tug Red Kilo to move into place

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 forward door closed and ready for pushback onto Bay 98

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 being pushed back slowly under guidance from the Ground Crew

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 is pushed back onto Bay 98 alongside 02-1107

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 almost on Bay 98 where the unloading process will commence

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 unloads personal luggage and the Secret Service Electronic Countermeasures Vehicle code name “Watchtower”

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 03-3127 continues the unloading process while buses prepare to transport the 50 plus personnel from the two aircraft

After both aircraft had completed the unloading process, 03-3127 departed to Brisbane Airport off Runway 34R, and 02-1107 departed to Richmond RAAF Base off Runway 34L.

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 departs Runway 34L for Richmond RAAF Base

With the aircraft empty, the nose wheel lifts off in 660m

US Vice President Mike Pence, his Staff and Media, arrived on Friday evening, 21st April, from Jakarta around 9:15pm. Mike Pence and his family were on-board the first VC-32A (Boeing 752) 98-0002, and were followed in shortly after by the second VC-32A 99-0004. After landing on Runway 34L, both aircraft headed for the DOM 6 Apron for an official welcome.

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 98-0002 parked on the DOM 6 Apron after arrival

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 98-0002 was re-fueled immediately and engine cowls opened for inspection

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 99-0004 rolls to a stop on the DOM 6 Apron

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 99-0004 prepares for the passengers to leave the aircraft

The Secret Service Team stand guard on USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 99-0004

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 98-0002 parked on the DOM 6 Apron on Saturday morning, 22nd April 2017

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 98-0002 and 99-0004 parked nose to tail on the DOM 6 Apron

USAF VC-32A (Boeing 752) 99-0004 closed up on Saturday morning on the DOM 6 Apron

US Vice President Mike Pence departed at 8am on Monday morning 24th April, with both USAF C-32A aircraft departing straight out from the DOM 6 Apron on Runway 25. Their destination was Honolulu, with a fuel stop in Pago Pago. No sooner had these two aircraft departed, when the two C-17A Globemaster III aircraft returned to pickup the security and logistics personnel and vehicles.

USAF C-32A departure and USAF C-17A arrival and departure

USAF C-17A Globemaster III 02-1107 prepares to load as 03-3127 is towed to Bay 94

Electronic Countermeasures Vehicle code name “Watchtower” waiting to be loaded

The US Flag and McChord insignia on the tail of 02-1107

One of the Cadillac State Limousines waiting to be loaded onto 02-1107

Secret Service Ford 550 Horton Hazardous Materials Mitigation Unit waits to be loaded

Peeling paintwork on the wing tip and winglet of 02-1107

The second Cadillac State Limousine and Ford Suburban SUV waiting to be loaded onto 02-1107

The white logintics van is loaded onto 02-1107

The first Cadillac State Limousine is loaded onto 02-1107

The second Cadillac State Limousine is loaded onto 02-1107

The Ford Suburban is loaded onto 02-1107

Tud Red Seirra sits ready to tow USAF Globemaster III 02-1107 out onto Taxiway Golf for engine start

Personal luggage is unloaded from the bus and truck ready to loaded onto USAF Globemaster III 03-3127

USAF Globemaster III 03-3127 with loading almost complete

A third C-17A (10-0220) arrived on Wednesday morning (26/04/2017), presumably to packup the remaining Secret Service equipment. After a

brief stay, 10-0220 departed mid afternoon for Hickam Field in Hawaii off Runway 25

US Vice President Mike Pence Visits Sydney

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