Some Air Force C-130s flying out of Balad AB, Iraq, are not delivering supplies; instead they are flying members of the Joint Airborne Battle Staff to watch over convoy communications. The capability once was a haphazard affair, conducted by chance whenever an aircraft happened to fly over a convoy that was asking for help. Multi-National Force-Iraq created the JABS less than a year ago, reports Army Sgt. Alexandra Hemmerly-Brown. Now, the teams of Air Force, Army, and Navy personnel fly on the dedicated C-130 to monitor convoy communications and to relay calls wherever needed. Each team includes operators who monitor and relay communications and technicians who make equipment repairs if needed.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.