During 2006, the Air Force mobility crowd amassed some impressive stats for passengers delivered and cargo hauled. The total for all aircraft types—C-5, C-17, C-130, KC-10, KC-135, and commercial charters—is 1.4 million passengers and nearly 500,000 short tons of cargo. Of the three USAF primary airlifters, the C-17 was the chief workhorse, hauling some 470,000 passengers and more than 250,000 tons of supplies and equipment. The well-worn KC-135 tanker fleet airlifted more people (6,003 vs. 1,794) but less cargo (313 vs. 1,909) than the service’s newer and largest tanker/airlifter hybrid, the KC-10.
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.