Just winding down from its command and control function following Hurricane Katrina, officials at US Northern Command say they are gearing for requests for assistance for Hurricane Rita. NORTHCOM’s Joint Operations Center at Colorado Springs, Colo., is still in 24-hour mode from Katrina. The command already established Homestead ARB, Fla., as its primary staging area to pre-position food, water, and ice and has pre-positioned heavy and medium lift helicopters at Patrick AFB, Fla.
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan flew an unusual trilateral flight with two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bombers escorted by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s, and two ROK Air Force KF-16 fighters—both countries’ respective variants of the F-16—July 11. That same weekend, the top military officers of the three nations…