Team McChord, through Operation Deep Freeze, plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Antarctic airlift mission operates smoothly and efficiently. The 62d Airlift Wing and 446th Airlift Wing crews come together to form the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and have perfected the process over the years, maintaining everything from logistics of air transport to the coordination of personnel and supplies. However, the journey to Antarctica begins not in the icy expanse of the South Pole, but in Christchurch, New Zealand—the gateway city to the frozen continent.
![Antarctic Airlift: Christchurch gateway to Antarctica]()
