Air Force officials on Oct. 26 formally turned over a new a suite of navigational aids installed at Kirkuk AB, Iraq, to the Iraqi air force. This state-of-the-art digital airport surveillance system, which replaces aging and often-malfunctioning equipment at Kirkuk, was procured and installed over a two-year period through a first-of-its-kind foreign military sales effort. “Our governments, air forces, and civilian contractors cooperated not only to fund the purchase of this highly technical equipment, but to train the Iraqi Air Force personnel how to use it and maintain it,” said Maj. Gen. Robert Kane, director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air Force. Similar upgrade efforts are underway at IqAF installations, including Taji Air Base and Al Kut Air Base. (Hanscom report by Chuck Paone)
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.