Air Force members are now engaged in the partial evacuation of Americans from war-wracked Lebanon. In a July 19 release, USAF said three Air Force MH-53 Pave Low helicopters are at work transporting US citizens from the Arab nation to Cyprus in the Mediterranean. The choppers are part of the 352nd Special Operations Group. They deployed from their home station, RAF Mildenhall in Britain, to Akrotiri, Cyprus several days ago. At McGuire AFB, N.J., a contingency response group is standing by for deployment to the area, said the release.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.