Some 350 airmen and 12 A-10s deployed from Moody AFB, Ga., recently completed a six-month theater security package to Europe. The members of the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron participated in 13 events and exercises, visited 15 countries in Eastern Europe, and conducted 1,193 sorties in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, according to a March 23 release. “They’ve had to adjust to several different locations, lots of traveling, lots of movement, and then figuring out how to operate at a different location that has different capabilities—sometimes not all of the capabilities that they’re used to in order to do the mission,” said Lt. Col. Bryan France, commander of the 74th EFS. “But, when it comes to actually getting the mission done, they’ve trained so well to it every day. So long as they’re equipped for it, they’re going to knock it out of the park.” During the deployment, airmen practiced forward air refueling, austere landings, and flew alongside former Soviet aircraft, such as the MiG 24, MiG 29, and Su-25, all while providing assurance to European partners and allies against further Russian aggression, states the release. This was the third rotation of Warthogs to Europe since the Air Force launched the first TSP to region in February 2015.
An Air Force F-16 pilot designed a collapsible ladder that weighs just six pounds and folds into the unused cockpit map case.