As the war in Gaza rages on, sparking division, unrest, and political protest around the globe, a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is being left in its tumultuous wake. According to the International Rescue Committee, over two million civilians in Gaza, half of which are children, are currently in dire need of food, water, and critical medical attention. With no resolution in sight, the outlook for those tragically caught in the chaos and crossfire is becoming increasingly grim.
Who is providing humanitarian aid to Gaza?
Unwavering in their global commitment to help those in desperate need, the United States military and coalition partners continue to carry out humanitarian relief airdrops in the Gaza region. Since March of 2024, more than 2.3 million pounds of much-needed food, water, and supplies have parachuted down from US military aircraft toward the outstretched arms of those in need.
As one can imagine, the successful execution of a large-scale humanitarian effort such as this relies heavily on precise coordination and communication between US and coalition partners in the sky and on the ground. At the center of this exceedingly complex operation is the US Air Force 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron’s (EECS) E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN), ensuring the countless moving parts and pieces function like a well-oiled machine.
Photo: US Air Force
Related
Nesma Airlines Airbus A320 Brings First Of 1,000 Gazan Children To UAE For Medical Care
It’s the first of several medical evacuation flights in the coming weeks.
What does an E-11A BACN aircraft do?
For those unfamiliar with the E-11A BACN, often pronounced “bacon,” the aircraft is a modified Bombardier Global Express 6000/BD700 business jet armed with Northrop Grumman’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN). The E-11A is designed to provide a crucial common operating picture that enables all air assets involved in any airdrop mission to deliver aid precisely and on time.
While commonly referred to as “wi-fi in the sky,” a nickname Col. McCart admits is “catchy,” the moniker belies the E-11A’s impressive capabilities, which go far beyond what Col. McCart is at liberty to disclose in this interview. According to Northrop Grumman,
“Northrop Grumman’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) combined with the E-11A modified Bombardier BD700 business jet, enable a high-altitude, airborne communications gateway that translates and distributes imagery, voice and tactical data from disparate elements — enhancing situational awareness and enabling seamless interoperability for joint and coalition forces operating across air, space, land, and sea.”
The E-11A requires no external modifications to the Bombardier BD700
A brief history of the E-11A BACN
Before discussing the E-11A’s role in Gaza with Col. McCart, it’s important to understand the origins of the E-11A BACN, which can be traced back to 2005’s Operation Red Wings in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. This ill-fated mission gained widespread recognition through US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell’s book and subsequent film adaptation, “Lone Survivor.”
In his book, Luttrell recounts the harrowing experiences he and his four-man SEAL team faced in the rugged, mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, where communication challenges made it nearly impossible for the SEAL team to establish contact with their combat operations center.
The inability to relay urgent tactical intelligence ultimately led to the tragic loss of 19 US special operations service members. Luttrell is pictured below, third from the right, along with the three members of his team and two other US Navy SEALs. All but Luttrell were killed in Operation Red Wings. The E-11A BACN was developed in direct response to these disastrous communication failures.
Photo: US Navy
After becoming operational in 2009, the E-11A flew over 10,000 sorties in Afghanistan, successfully ensuring the events of Operation Red Wings were never repeated. Sadly, while carrying out this mission, two USAF pilots fell victim to a tragedy of their own, losing their lives in a crash while attempting to land their badly damaged E-11A in eastern Afghanistan.
Having proven “as essential to mission success as bullets” in Afghanistan and facilitated communications in numerous missions over the Middle East, including Iraq and Syria, the E-11A has found a new purpose in Gaza.
An interview with Lt. Col. Clayton “Vector” McCart, E-11A pilot and Commander of the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron
I recently had the rare privilege of interviewing Lt. Col. Clayton “Vector” McCart, an E-11A pilot and Commander of the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron (EECS), whose fleet of E-11A BACN aircraft have played an integral role in the success of humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza.
It comes as no surprise that Colonel McCart is extraordinarily proud of his unit and happy to provide some insights into what makes the 430th EECS and the E-11A vital to the humanitarian missions in Gaza. I began the interview by asking Col. McCart to describe the E-11A’s overall mission and purpose with the USAF.
“We have an incredibly dynamic mission. We are a communication and data combining agent, meaning we translate dissimilar communications and relay that data to dissimilar platforms while also extending the range of those critical communications. We use that capability to support a multitude of operations such as personnel recovery, theater air control system command and control, task force close air support, tactical data link extension, base defense, and air drops.”
When asked about the E-11A’s role as it pertains to the humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza, Col. McCart believes this mission demonstrates the substantial value and versatility the E-11A brings to the USAF.
“The E-11A is the perfect platform for these type of missions due to the complexity of multi-national efforts and dissimilarity of assets… Much like the other missions we support, we work closely with the participants of the airdrop to relay data and extend the communications range to ensure all players have a common operating picture. This common operating picture is key to aid being delivered safely on target and on time.”
When I asked Col. McCart to quantify the E-11A’s involvement in the humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza, the numbers were impressive.
“Our squadron has supported 100% of the airdrops tasked to us, beginning with the initial effort in early March of this year…Nearly all of the operational airdrops have had E-11A/BACN support. We have participated in 33 airdrops to date and continue to support the ongoing humanitarian efforts.”
Photo: Staff Sgt. Shannon Bowman | US Air Force
While Col. McCart was not at liberty to confirm the number of E-11A aircraft under his command due to national security concerns, he did express the need for more E-11A aircraft, citing the “24/7, 365” demand for 430th EECS mission support. “We could utilize twice the jets and people,” added Col. McCart.
When I inquired about the duration of a typical Gaza humanitarian aid mission, Col. McCart’s answer seemed to underscore the need for more E-11A aircraft, noting that his squadron is often tasked with completing multiple missions on a single sortie.
“Each mission is unique, but something special about our capabilities is our ability to fly long missions without the need to aerial refuel. Our typical sorties last around 10 hours, but can stretch longer if required. For this reason, if we launch to support an airdrop, we’re most likely also flying to support another mission after that support is complete,
“The combined air operations center (CAOC) at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar creates an air tasking order (ATO) every day with prioritized tasks for each mission. Our flights revolve around accomplishing those tasks, and it’s not uncommon that we’ll accomplish multiple during a single, multi-hour, sortie.”
Strength through diversity
Previous Commander of the 430th EECS, Lt. Col. Todd Arthur, has referred to the 430th as “a melting pot of the Air Force,” a sentiment with which current Commander McCart seems to agree, citing the diversity of the roughly 20 pilots who come to the E-11A from different airframes, including fighters, bombers, and tankers.
“Our squadron has a diverse background of pilots, which is unique and creates an environment where we all bring different strengths and experiences to the table. That helps because we can continue learning from each other as we all learn this “new” (to us) aircraft together and glean from each other’s diverse expertise.”
Photo: US Air Force
The E-11A operates in what Col. McCart refers to as a “crowded and dynamic area of responsibility,” which presents unique challenges. Tasked with conducting missions on the invisible battlefield of electronic warfare, E-11A aircrews sometimes find themselves maneuvering through contested airspace. Fortunately, they are well-equipped and prepared to handle such scenarios.
“We do experience jamming, spoofing, and weather challenges, but our Airmen are trained to mitigate those and postured to respond appropriately.”
Photo: US Air Force
Related
Gaza Conflict Prompts Israir To Delay More Airbus A320 Introductions
Israir has delayed the introduction of two Airbus A320 aircraft due to the war in Gaza.
The human element behind the humanitarian mission
Despite the polarizing nature of the conflict, the men and women of the 430th EECS are fully committed to the humanitarian aid missions in Gaza, exuding an elevated morale undoubtedly buoyed by the immeasurable impact their efforts are having on those unable to help themselves.
“Our team is extremely motivated. Sometimes in the Air Force, it can be hard to see your connection to the mission, but here, flying the missions we fly, we see the effects of our contributions every day. The team’s relevance and impact is obvious, which helps squadron morale a lot and keeps personal motivations high.”
Photo: US Air Force
The men and women of the 430th EECS aren’t the only people on the ground contributing to the E-11A’s mission in Gaza. Col. McCart was quick to recognize the civilian contractors, most of whom are military veterans, who bring a wealth of skills, knowledge, and experience to the 430th EECS.
“Our civilian contractors are a force multiplier in the BACN mission. While the E- 11A is not completely reliant on ground-station support, mission success is a testament to our military and contractor relationships, which combine varying expertise in a seamless and highly beneficial way. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine conducting our missions without them,
“We rely on contracted ground support to perform quick-turn maintenance, and our contractors operate the payload. The majority of these professionals were prior military serving across various branches and bring a tremendous amount of experience to the fight together with our current uniformed members.”
The future of the E-11A BACN
The undeniable successes and proven versatility of the E-11A BACN, whether in traditional military operations in Afghanistan, the Middle East, or humanitarian aid missions in Gaza, have not gone unnoticed by the USAF or Col. McCart, who is arguably the aircraft’s strongest backer. When I inquired about the E-11A’s future with the USAF, his reply suggested the E-11A is here to stay.
“The E-11 fleet is absolutely vital to USAF operations. Poor communications can degrade and hinder military operations. The E-11A/BACN plays a pivotal role in securing necessary communication/data translation, relay and extension capabilities, even in contested and denied environments.”
USAF 378th Air Expeditionary Wing Commander Col. Seth Spanier agrees wholeheartedly with Col. McCart, noting that while the E-11A is relatively unknown outside military circles, those in the know understand how vital the E-11A BACN is to USAF operations.
“It’s absolutely essential to everything we do. They touch every major operation in theater and are a lynchpin to mission success.”
In fact, the E-11A’s role in the USAF appears to be growing, as multiple E-11A aircraft have begun arriving at their new home at Robins AFB in Houston County, Georgia, the aircraft’s first permanent E-11A squadron in the continental US. The newly established 18th Airborne Command Control Squadron will learn from and build upon the expertise of the 430th EECS. The unit expects to have nine E-11A aircraft operational by 2027, a development Col. McCart considers a “big win” for the E-11A community.
“The establishment of a non-expeditionary squadron at Robins is a big win for our community. It allows us to maintain currencies and leverage expertise that folks gain while deployed and bring those back to a home station and training unit. This model is ultimately more sustainable and will yield a more ready and agile fleet that is better able to rapidly respond to emerging and future threats.”
Answering the call of duty
I had just one more question for Commander McCart, hoping to extract some personal thoughts from the man behind the winged star on his flight suit. In an effort to better understand his unique perspective on the situation, I asked Col. McCart how it feels to be part of these humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza. The Colonel’s humble reply was profound in its simplicity.
“Like every mission we fly, it’s an honor to serve and do good for others in need.”
On its surface, Col. McCart’s reply could be mistaken for a measured military platitude, carefully crafted to answer the question without revealing personal opinions or saying anything that might ignite a firestorm of controversy. In a world where a slip of the tongue at noon can end a man’s career before sundown, it’s the kind of wise decision we expect from our military leaders.
However, despite its brevity, Col. McCart’s modest reply is steeped in truth and, beneath the surface, imbued with a much deeper meaning. While the E-11A’s role in Gaza may call for the same preparation and flight procedures as every mission the 430th EECS flies, the objective is quite different.
The mission in Gaza isn’t about hunting down terrorists hiding in caves or coordinating a strategic bombing attack. The mission in Gaza is about delivering food, water, and medical supplies to starving, critically wounded men, women, and children wandering helplessly through the incomprehensible devastation of a war-torn battlefield; a mission far different from participating in the battle itself.
Photo: US Air Force
Colonel McCart and the men and women of the 430th EECS aren’t merely “Doing good for others in need.” They, along with others participating in the humanitarian efforts in Gaza, are providing a glimmer of hope to those trapped in a living hell, juxtaposing the best of humanity with the worst.
While the E-11A aircraft flown by the 430th EECS have proven invaluable across a variety of military operations for many years, the humanitarian missions taking place in Gaza may be where the E-11A BACN shines brightest. With no end to the fighting in sight and a crisis that will only worsen, bundles of aid will continue descending from the skies over Gaza, and the 430th EECS’ fleet of E-11As will remain at the heart of what may be its most meaningful mission to date.