Barksdale Hogs Get Top Honor: 
Pilots of the 47th Fighter Squadron from Barksdale AFB, La., won the Top Bombing Team award over the weekend at Hawgsmoke 2006—the biennial competition between A-10 Warthog pilots from around the world taking place at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., reports the Shreveport Times. The 47th FS is part of AFRC’s 917th Wing at Barksdale.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…