USAF C-130 crews flying tactical airlift missions in Iraq routinely fly nine sorties in a day, often making multiple trips in and out of the same fields. According to one crew of six flying out of Balad AB, Iraq, their single day effort keeps 27 trucks and assorted support and security vehicles off some of the most dangerous roads in Iraq. The C-130s haul it all—from toilet paper to helicopter blades—reports the Red Tail Flyer. Capt. Marc Ayala, a pilot with the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, said, “We see the war pass through our cargo bay.”
The Air Force Historical Foundation has recognized two Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber wings among the winners of its 2025-2026 prestigious annual awards, selecting both for their part in Operation Midnight Hammer, the daring raid on Iran’s fortified nuclear weapons sites.
