The US and Japan are close to reaching an agreement about returning airspace over Yokota Air Base back to Japanese control, according to Associated Press news service. Remember that last spring US officials called such speculation “premature.” Now it would appear the move to ease operations for commercial airlines operating in Japan is set to return an unspecified amount of airspace that would provide more direct routes to civilian airports. The transfer date, reports AP, likely would happen by September 2008.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
