US Air Force C-5M airlifts $5 billion in seized narcotics for destruction

A U.S. Air Force airlift wing has executed the largest-recorded aerial transport of approximately 50 metric tons of lethal narcotics for destruction, according to a Tuesday release from the Air Force Reserve Command.

Mission Overview

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 illegal drugs with an estimated street value of $5 billion. The operation, named Operation Burnout, took place over three days.

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.

Addressing the Drug Crisis

While the release did not specify which narcotics were seized, it noted that the operation supports the DEA's mission to protect American communities by keeping substances such as fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine off the streets.

"We have to store this stuff once we seize it in an approved warehouse, but more stuff is always coming in."

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— Gerald Mapp, Senior Foreign Integration Advisor to the DEA for the Department of Defense

Mapp emphasized the severity of the fentanyl crisis, stating: "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 also noted that recent environmental closures of major California incinerators had left the DEA with growing stockpiles of seized narcotics.

Logistical Challenges and Security

Without Air Force assistance, the DEA would have been required to transport the substances by ground across multiple states. This approach would have required:

• Excessive manpower and time
• Increased risk of security issues, including ambush, theft, or logistical failure

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

• Cross-country flight paths
• Ground security protocols
• Hazardous cargo waiver requirements

Collaborative Effort

Loadmasters and aerial port airmen from the 50th and 56th Aerial Port Squadrons, both based 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."

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— Air Force Maj. Benjamin Sperring, Air Mobility Chief for JTF North

Sperring added: "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."

About the C-5M Super Galaxy

The C-5M Super Galaxy, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is the largest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory. Key specifications include:

• Cargo capacity: 281,001 pounds
• Range (without aerial refueling): 2,150 nautical miles, with the ability to offload and proceed to another base 500 nautical miles away

About the Author

Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering the defense industry, national security, and military and veteran affairs. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024.

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