The head of US Air Forces in Europe, Gen. Tom Hobbins, traveled to Bulgaria and Georgia recently, declaring that both countries are “very staunch allies in the war on terror.” He said that both countries, though they “are not fully capable in some aviation areas,” are contributing forces to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. Maj. Krista Carlos reports that Bulgaria expressed interest in modernizing its air force, in particular gaining new multirole fighters. Hobbins said that Georgia knows it needs to “rid itself of old Russian equipment,” but it has limited resources so plans to take “interim steps.”
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.
