For the first time since the Kosovo crisis, McGuire AFB, N.J., is the first stopping point on US soil for Americans evacuees—the latest crop from Lebanon via Cyprus and Ramstein AB, Germany. According to the Newark Star-Ledger, more than 1,000 evacuees from across the US are expected at McGuire by Tuesday. Air Force officials report that they enlisted C-17s from Charleston AFB, S.C. and McChord AFB, Wash., as well as McGuire to ferry Americans from Ramstein. “The good thing about this is once the places get cycling, we can just keep them going indefinitely,” Col. Bill Spacy, vice commander of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire told the Star-Ledger.
With key members of Congress wavering on the possibility of a $350 billion defense reconciliation bill, defense experts told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the Pentagon is likely drawing up budget backup plans—but such plans would face hard choices between high-end weapons and low-cost drones and other programs in…