The overall winner of USAFE’s Sure Fire 2005 weapons loading competition, held last week, was the 81st Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Spangdahlem AB, Germany. The other top finishers were: SrA. Joshua Shively, 23rd AMU, Spangdahlem, for the bomblift competition; the 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy, for top loadcrew.
A yearslong effort to find an affordable way to turn cargo planes into strike platforms is now an official program with anticipated fielding in 2027.