USAF’
s versatile C-17 airlifter—easily switching from strategic to tactical transport—recently completed an airdrop of 50,000 pounds of ammunition to US Army units engaged in a firefight in Afghanistan. It was the first such drop for a C-17 of the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron’s Det. 1 based at Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan, and a first for most of its aircrew. (Read more here.)
A new Air Force organization is searching for counter-drone firms to participate in a dozen or more exercises to help create operating plans by the end of this year for defending the service’s U.S.-based installations from drone attacks.