LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark -- The 19th Operations Group and the HERKWERX Innovation Lab visited Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, to witness the first trial of a compact, transportable cargo loader on March 12, 2024.
During this initial trial, the prototype loader was loaded and secured to the ramp of a C-130J. Compared to traditional loaders, this loader is capable of unloading an aircraft using half the manpower and equipment. This new model also provides flexibility so it's able to onload cargo in locations with minimal or no infrastructure.
“This will greatly aid areas where traditional Material handling equipment (MHE) are not accessible or where equipment may damage the aircraft,” said Maj. Stephen Savonne, 62nd Airlift Squadron evaluator pilot and project originator.
Other features of the loader include weighing less than 5,000 pounds, the ability to fit in a single pallet position, it can lift greater than 20,000 pounds, and its compatibility with most cargo aircraft utilizing the L463 cargo system.
19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to 19th Airlift Wing looks out of a C-130J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
Loadmasters and aircrew assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing prepare for takeoff at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The 19th Operations Group and the HERKWERX Innovation Lab visited San Antonio, Texas, to witness the first trial of a compact, transportable cargo loader. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
Lt. Col. Aaron M. Webb, 19th Operations Group deputy commander, talks to a contractor at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing looks at a prototype loader at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
Airmen assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing look at a prototype loader at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The 19th Operations Group and the HERKWERX Innovation Lab visited San Antonio, Texas, to witness the first trial of a compact, transportable cargo loader. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing looks at a prototype loader at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing looks at a prototype loader at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing secures a prototype loader to a C-130J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing loads a prototype loader on a C-130J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing watches a prototype loader being loaded on a C130-J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
An Airman assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing watches a prototype loader being loaded on a C130-J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
The prototype loader sits on a C-130J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
The prototype loader sits on a C-130J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
The 19th Operations Group, HERKWERX Innovation Lab, and contractors pose for a group photo at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The prototype loader is a compact, transportable cargo loader that is capable of unloading an aircraft in under 20 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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19 OG, HERKWERX Innovation Lab witness loader project in action
Lt. Col. Aaron M. Webb, 19th Operations Group deputy commander, pilots a C-130J Super Hercules at Kelly Field, Texas, March 12, 2024. The 19th OG and the HERKWERX Innovation Lab visited San Antonio, Texas, to witness the first trial of a compact, transportable cargo loader. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Saisha Cornett)
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The loader was conceptualized in 2019, when the need for more robust loader was identified during a deployment to the middle east. In 2021, the idea was submitted into a Spark Tank competition; this idea soon became the first long term project for HERKWERX. Currently, the project is slated to be complete in the winter of 2024.
“Mission effectiveness in the Pacific theater of operations is critically dependent on logistics, speed, and maneuverability,” said Capt. Donovan K. Montgomery, 19th Airlift Wing chief innovation officer. “This new loader affords us the opportunity to be more maneuverable and thus more lethal in contested environments.”
The 19th OG and HERKWERX Innovation Lab are developing the loader project on behalf of the U.S. Air Force, Air Mobility Command, and the 19th Airlift Wing.