The North Carolina Air National Guard have sent two C-130s equipped for wildfire duty to Arizona to aid with firefighting operations across the Southwest, reports the Associated Press news service. The National Interagency Fire Center requested the help to back up the civilian fleet of firefighting tankers.
Control of the skies in Operation Epic Fury is enabling the Pentagon to rely more on satellite- and laser-guided bombs, throttle back on expensive long-range standoff munitions, and move to a new phase of air war, defense officials said on March 4. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.…