[DudleyDoright]

Since the 4th ID is on it's way and slated for Bagdad, I am wondering if the airport is the fastest way to get them and their equipment up there ... hate to see another long march from Kuwait.

I thought of that too, until a good friend reminded me that a C-17 can only take 1 M-1A1 tank at a time. That's a LOT of C-17 sorties to get just the division's tanks into position.

More than likely they will overland march the tanks & APCs into position with HETs and then offload ready to fight.

[AgThorn]

Yeah, just did the research, guess you are right ... oh well.

Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms). With a payload of 160,000 pounds (72,575 kilograms) and an initial cruise altitude of 28,000 feet (8,534 meters), , the C-17 has an unrefueled range of approximately 2,400 nautical miles. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots (.74 Mach). The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and equipment.