The Air Force plans in March to send officials to Malmstrom AFB, Mont., to evaluate the ability of the installation to take on a new mission—possibly even aircraft. It would not be a USAF unit, rather one under the Department of Homeland Security, according to the Helena (Mont.) Independent-Reporter. Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) secured the USAF commitment to conduct an “attributes study,” saying it took “five meetings on this subject” over a two-week period. An optimistic Burns noted than in March the USAF team would agree that “Malmstrom is a first-class facility.”
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
