317th AW trailblazes with MEO during Palmetto Reach
A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules equipped with external fuel tanks assigned to the 317th Airlift Wing departs Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 12, 2026, to execute a Maximum Endurance Operation in support of Exercise Palmetto Reach. This sortie marked the 317th AW’s 10th MEO into the Indo-Pacific region and allowed Airmen to replicate real-world challenges associated with compressed timelines and long-range tactical airlift. Exercise Palmetto Reach served as Joint Base Charleston’s Combat Readiness Exercise and validation event, designed to ensure forces can operate effectively in austere and contested environments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jade M. Caldwell)