US Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy aids in destruction of $5 billion in illegal drugs

A U.S. Air Force airlift wing has executed the largest-recorded aerial transport of approximately 50 metric tons of lethal narcotics for destruction.

Reserve airmen from the 433rd Airlift Wing, alongside Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) personnel, used the Air Force’s largest and heaviest aircraft to remove 23 pallets of seized drugs — with an estimated street value of $5 billion — over the course of three days in an operation dubbed Operation Burnout, according to a Tuesday release.

Operation Details

In mid-May, the wing airlifted the narcotics using a C-5M Super Galaxy from March Air Reserve Base, California, to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, ahead of transport to an incinerator facility in Indiana for destruction.

The release did not specify which narcotic or narcotics were seized but noted that the operation supported the DEA’s goals of protecting American communities by keeping illegal substances such as fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine off the streets.

DEA and Air Force Collaboration

“We have to store this stuff once we seize it in an approved warehouse, but more stuff is always coming in,” said Gerald Mapp, senior foreign integration advisor to the DEA for the Department of Defense, in the release.

“You have to look at fentanyl as a major problem — one pill can kill you. Taking these drugs off the street protects the American public, and we couldn’t do this without the Air Force’s heavy airlift capabilities,” he continued, highlighting how recent environmental closures of major California incinerators left the DEA with growing stockpiles of seized narcotics.

Without Air Force assistance, the DEA would have had to drive the substances across several states — requiring excessive manpower and time, and increasing the risk of security issues such as ambush, theft, or logistical failure, the release states.

Planning and Execution

Joint Task Force North began planning the operation months in advance, examining:

• Cross-country flight paths
• Ground security protocols
• The intricacies of hazardous cargo waivers

Loadmasters and aerial port airmen from the 50th and 56th Aerial Port Squadrons, both located at March Air Reserve Base, assisted the DEA with packaging, sealing, and loading the pallets.

“We were able to put a call out to the whole enterprise to see who was willing to pick up this mission, and the 433rd answered the call,” said Air Force Maj. Benjamin Sperring, air mobility chief for JTF North.

“Having the C-5 gave us the capability of a larger aircraft, meaning we could fly more seized narcotics and make a bigger impact on the crime rates. The interagency collaboration to get these drugs absolutely destroyed has been fantastic,” he added.

About the C-5M Super Galaxy

Lockheed Martin’s C-5M Super Galaxy is a transport aircraft and the largest aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory, designed to transport cargo and personnel for the Department of Defense.

• Cargo load capacity: 281,001 pounds
• Range without aerial refueling: 2,150 nautical miles, with the ability to offload and fly to another base 500 nautical miles from the original location

About the Author

Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military and veteran affairs, and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024, where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.