Airmen in Southwest Asia with the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron are handling two separate Army movements, requiring them to load an extra 27 to 36 pallets of supplies and equipment every day aboard USAF C-17s or contract cargo aircraft for redistribution within the theater, reports SrA. Erik Hofmeyer. And, SSgt. Kevin Tomko relates much the same story for 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron airmen, who are working 12-hours shifts, seven days a week to keep the surge in cargo moving through Bagram AB, Iraq.
The Air Force said May 4 it has approved the T-7A Red Hawk trainer aircraft to move into low-rate production and awarded Boeing a $219 million contract to start building the first 14 production jets.