Senior Iraqi air force leaders toured Joint Base Balad to acquire a better understanding of the base layout, runways, facilities, and fighter aircraft operations. This is part of their preparations to retake control of the base when the US military moves out of the country later this year. “This facility will be theirs in a few months and we want to talk about how we are going to hand it over to them and what condition [the base] is in, so we can better understand and plan together as a team on how they can have an effective air base as soon as we leave,” said Brig. Gen. Anthony Rock, director of the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission-Air. If the Iraqi government goes forward with the planned purchase of F-16 fighters, they would likely call Balad home, said Rock. (Balad report by SrA. Tong Duong)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
