Air Mobility Command wants to put its new C-17 forces through short-field combat landing training using the Grant County Airport in Moses Lake, Wash. This is the same site used by C-17s assigned to McChord AFB, Wash. The new forces include Air Force Reserve Command’s 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March ARB, Calif., which received its eight C-17s in 2006, and AMC’s 60th AMW at Travis AFB, Calif., which is to receive the last of its 13 C-17s in 2008. According to a draft environmental impact statement (caution: large file), AMC plans to construct an assault runway either at Travis or at the former George Air Force Base in California—but not until 2008. Meanwhile, it needs a training site. A Travis civil engineer told the Columbia Basin Herald that the C-17s would use Moses Lake until 2009 or early 2010.
On Jan. 4, a dozen U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors departed Puerto Rico, where they had landed following their participation in Operation Absolute Resolve. Those fighters appeared to have flown directly from their home base at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., to participate in the operation and returned there two days…
