WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In preparation for Hurricane Rita, the U.S. Air Force is moving aircraft out of the projected path of Hurricane Rita and skilled teams of professionals into strategic positions ready to respond in the wake of Rita.

The Air Force evacuated sixteen F-16s and one C-26 from Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, including six F-16s evacuated to Kirtland AFB, NM; five F-16s to Fort Worth, Texas; two F-16s to Atlantic City, NJ; two F-16s to Tulsa, OK; one F-16 to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; and one C-26 to Kirtland AFB, NM.

Two C-5 Galaxy aircraft with the 433rd Airlift Wing, Lackland AFB, are poised to assist with the evacuation of areas in Hurricane Rita’s path, including Houston and Beaumont, Texas.

The 433rd AW has also sent a five-member Aeromedical Evacuation Command and Control team to Beaumont to stand ready to operate a medical evacuation control point from that location. The team initially responded to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Also, the Air Force has a director of mobility forces, a Contingency Response Group and a medical planning team deployed to Austin, Texas, to coordinate necessary relief efforts once the hurricane makes landfall. A Contingency Response Group is a rapid response force with an air-base-opening capability, which is critical to the arrival of initial support at damaged airfields and designated locations.

The Air Force has five C-17s, six C-130s, three C-5s and two Contingency Response Groups on three-hour alert.

Randolph AFB, San Antonio, Texas, has not been directed to evacuate its aircraft at this point in time.