The Air Force has placed an engine test cell in Southwest Asia to enable maintainers to repair the C-130 tactical airlifter’s T56 engine and propellers. Air Force journalist SrA. Aldric Borders reports that the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron’s Centralized Intermediate Repair Facility officially opened for business last month, making it possible to eliminate the expense and time required to ship engines and props outside SWA—a real boon for the heavily used C-130s.
A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes in the Middle East are flying with fresh modifications as the Air Force looks to make the plane more versatile amid America’s ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. air war against Iran.