The plan to merge active and Air National Guard forces to create a squadron of C-17 airlifters at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, is now a year old and heading into the home stretch—the first of eight C-17s are due to arrive in January. This Future Total Force initiative, says CMSgt. Scott Yerxa, has been an “almost seamless” blending of a “great group of professionals.” Some Guard backers have raised doubts about the FTF project, claiming it will weaken ANG units.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.