The Happy Hooligans of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s 119th Fighter Wing have received their first of eight C-21 aircraft. The Hooligans had to give up their F-16s, courtesy of BRAC 2005, and now will fly the C-21 until around 2010. At that time, they expect to get a few of the new Joint Cargo Aircraft. Meanwhile, the unit also picked up a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle mission.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…