A new wooden walkway at the heart of Kandahar AB, Afghanistan, now features all the trappings of a stateside oceanside boardwalk, including fast food restaurants, a phone center, and gift shops. Stars and Stripes reports that the partially complete boardwalk is part of an improvement project begun by the base’s former commander, Lt. Col. Jim Hardy. Much of the base is in a near-complete status, as US and coalition forces continue a range of improvements, from the base’s runway—being lengthened and widened to accommodate a wider range of aircraft—to housing for US and NATO partner nation troops.
Fresh off the first combat deployment of its new EA-37B, the Air Force is nearly doubling the planned number of new electronic attack jets and projecting more than $3 billion in spending on the program in the next five years.