The Air Force relies heavily on its newest strategic airlifter to fly much of the tactical airlift in the US Central Command area of responsibility, evidenced by the numbers wracked up last month by the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. Capt. Michael Andrews reports that the 816th EAS’s C-17s flew 44,945 passengers out of some 52,000 total throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. And, the unit delivered more than 36 million pounds of cargo.
Golden Dome Details Begin to Emerge
Dec. 7, 2025
The Golden Dome air and missile defense shield to protect the United States will have some “operational capability” in 2028, the program’s leader said Dec. 6 at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

