Some airmen who fly and maintain A-10 Warthogs at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., had just one month to get through three months of predeployment preparation and training before deploying to Bagram AB, Afghanistan. And, when they got the word their deployment had been moved up, they were in the middle of an operational readiness inspection, reports SSgt. Craig Seals. Nonetheless, the airmen got the job done and within 24 hours of landing at Bagram had their Hogs ready for action.
Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly 45 minutes.