Airmen have taken over operations at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq from US marines, activating there the 532nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron on Dec. 15. The US drawdown in Iraq prompted the shift of responsibility. Al Asad currently is the only facility designated to receive US commercial aircraft on flights directly from the US. The unit’s newly installed commander, Lt. Col. Barry Dickey, declared that the unit would maintain “the best airfield, with the best aerial port and security in the area of operation.” (Al Asad report by SrA. Jarrod Chavana)
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.