Pacific Air Forces had to scrub plans to use the first C-17 stationed at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, to ferry relief supplies late on Feb. 19 to the Philippines when the brand new airlifter developed a “minor” malfunction, officials told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The base had to shift the cargo from the Hickam C-17 to one from Charleston AFB, N.C., which was in Hawaii. A base spokesman told the newspaper that the Hickam C-17 needs to replace an aircraft propulsion data management computer. It’s still under warranty, right
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.