T
he boss of Pacific Air Forces, Gen. Paul Hester, believes that the first squadron of F-22A Raptors at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, could be in place in time to send some off to Guam next year. PACAF accepted the first Elmendorf-bound F-22 in February. Hester told the Associated Press that a “small contingent” could deploy to Andersen AFB, Guam, if all goes well with the beddown and transition from the F-15 to the F-22. Air Combat Command sent Raptors to Kadena AFB, Japan, earlier this year on the F-22’s first overseas deployment.
The U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…