Airmen continue to add flying hours to the heavily tasked C-130 tactical airlift fleet operating in Iraq, not to mention side trips to Africa, to deliver supplies and passengers throughout the theater. Remember, the Air Force picked up this mission to help keep convoys off the roads. According to a recent Air Force release, the in-theater C-130 Hercules operations, over the course of just one week, airlift enough to eliminate road trips for more than 22 buses and 42 trucks.
The Air Force plans to add external weapons pylons on the B-1B bomber, both to increase the number of aircraft that can test hypersonic missiles and expand the Lancer’s loadout as USAF transitions to the B-21 bomber.