An airman's idea for a cargo cart is out to bid at JBER

The cargo-loading cart the Alaska Air National Guard is looking to build started as one airman's idea. Senior Airman Juan Ortega, of the 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron, got tired of how hard the standard K-loaders are to haul off-site and pitched a simpler alternative through JBER's Arctic Spark Innovation Lab. Now the Guard is putting his design out to bid.

The cart — a second-generation "Logistics Operational Device" — is meant to load pallets onto C-17 and C-130 aircraft without any modification to the planes themselves, and to link together into pallet trains. The Guard wants two of them built and tested at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson within four months, each able to carry at least 10,355 pounds.

The squadron tested a first version last year. The solicitation has been out for a while — Friday's notice extended the bidding deadline, now noon Aug. 27, rather than opening it, and the Guard is still fielding bidders' questions.