Congress passed a measure to hold off on paying the nearly $23 million that Uzbekistan said the US owed for use of the Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, but the Pentagon must not have gotten the memo. (Yes, this is the base known as K2 that we got kicked out of. (DR 08/30/05) The “delay the payment” legislation is part of a bill that lawmakers are still working. However, Pentagon officials say they paid the money last week.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.