For nearly three years, airmen at Balad AB, Iraq, have been installing extra armor on convoy vehicles, helping to fortify them against Improvised Explosive Devices. That work is coming to an end this month. The airmen have armored more than 1,300 vehicles, but now, officials say, the need for add-on armor is dwindling. More and more vehicles arrive in Iraq with armor kits already installed.
The Air Force is seeking funding to let its pilots fly a little more than 1.1 million hours in fiscal 2027, which would be the most in about four years. But even if Airmen actually do fly all 1.1 million hours, it would still be short of the 1.3 million…