Situated in the CENTAF combined air operations center in Southwest Asia, the aerial port control center with its crew of 12 transport specialists operates around the clock, making about 2,000 passenger reservations and moving more than 3,000 pallets of cargo each month. Troops used to wait 24 hours to know if they had a flight, now, officials say, they know within 30 minutes. The backlog of cargo has dropped by two-thirds. The APC has maximized airlift in the theater by filling aircraft to their maximum capacity, according to Lt. Col. Timothy O’Brien, the center’s chief from Scott AFB, Ill.
Loved Ones Mourn 6 Airmen Killed in KC-135 Crash
March 16, 2026
Tributes to the six crew members that died in the KC-135 Stratotanker crash in Iraq have flooded social media since the Pentagon released their identities March 14. They were the first Airmen to die while supporting Operation Epic Fury against Iran.