Thracian Summer 2020 is a bilateral flying deployment allowing both the U.S. Air Force and Bulgarian military forces to extend joint warfighting capabilities through operational and tactical training. Multiple units from Ramstein Air Base participated.
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessica Smith, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training NCO in-charge assistant, secures the containers on the airdrop bundle during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. The lids are secured on the CDS bundles to ensure the liquid inside the containers does not leak while the bundle is dropped, transported or recovered. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)
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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caleb Hargrove, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training specialist, secures a parachute to a container delivery system during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. The white quarter inch webbing ties are assembled to hold the parachute in place while the CDS is in transport and to secure the parachute to the load. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)
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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caleb Hargrove, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training specialist, ties the 2,000-pound parachute strap to secure a parachute to a container delivery system during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. The strap is tied to secure the lower lateral bands of the parachute as well as making handles for transporting the parachute. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)
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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caleb Hargrove, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training specialist, assembles the 2,000-pound parachute strap for a container delivery system during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. The strap ensures the parachute attached to the CDS bundle is secure for inflight transportation and properly attached to release the parachute once dropped. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Clint Bowen, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training supervisor, prepares a container delivery system to be airdropped during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. Bowen cut the quarter inch cotton webbing as part of the recovery process following a successful high-to-low profile airdrop. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)
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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caleb Hargrove, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training (UAT) specialist, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Clint Bowen, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron UAT supervisor, transfer a container delivery system onto a delivery truck during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. The 37th Airlift Squadron flew multiple high-to-low profile airdrops at the Cheshnegirovo drop zone which required UAT’s assistance with recovering and preparing CDS and low-cost low-altitude bundles daily. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Clint Bowen, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron unilateral airlift training (UAT) supervisor, and U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Caleb Hargrove, 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron UAT specialist, prepare to lift and load a container delivery system onto a forklift during Thracian Summer 2020 at Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, Aug. 20, 2020. The 86th LRS Airmen worked closely with Bulgarian air force members during the flying deployment in Bulgaria to deliver bundles for high-to-low profile airdrops. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Devin Nothstine)