The Air Force has sent numerous satellite communications systems, known as the very small aperture terminal, to Southwest Asia for use by explosive ordnance disposal technicians. The portable VSAT enables the EOD airmen to make calls and send and receive information even in austere conditions, reports SrA. Clark Staehle. It can be set up in about 15 minutes, providing the EOD techs the ability to quickly relay information about the most recent threats they have encountered.
After years of experiments and tests, senior Air Force leaders say they're on the verge of using C-17s and other cargo aircraft to launch cruise missiles via airdrop, touting the development as a way to bolster the combat fleet and a major shift in the service’s mindset.