The aircrew of a C-130H transport carrying 34 passengers over Iraq on June 9 was able to land the aircraft safely despite a severe hydraulic leak that left some of its critical systems inoperable, officials at Joint Base Balad announced Tuesday. The aircraft, assigned to Balad’s 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, had been dispatched to ferry the passengers from Baghdad International Airport to Erbil, Iraq, a flight of about a half-hour. After climbing to 12,000 feet, the aircraft’s loadmasters discovered the leak, which sprayed several gallons of caustic fluid into the cabin before the aircrew shut off the pumps. Aircrew members were able to manually lower the aircraft’s landing gear and flaps, and the pilots were able to bring the aircraft safely back to Balad with only partial power to the flight controls and no anti-skid braking available. (Balad report by Lt. Col. Nathan Allerheiligen)
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
