The Air Force says it can save more than $40.3 million a year and shave about 24 hours off cargo movement time by shifting the US center for Southwest Asia-bound cargo shipments from the southeast to the northeast. The Air Force has decided to make Dover AFB, Del., and McGuire AFB, N.J., the primary aerial ports instead of Charleston AFB, S.C., since DOD must transport much of the cargo via commercial trucks from northeast supply locations to Charleston, bypassing the closer Dover and McGuire airlift facilities. The action takes effect Jan. 1. Charleston, USAF’s premier C-17 base, now will focus on operations in South America and Africa, but it also will continue to ferry Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to Southwest Asia.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.