USAF officials honored the C-9 Nightingale for its legendary service in aeromedical evacuation in a ceremony unveiling a static display of the aircraft at Lackland AFB, Tex. The aircraft, named for nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, was the only aircraft specifically designed for patient movement. The first C-9 entered service in 1968 and the last retired from service with Air Force Reserve Command last year. Guest speaker Maj. Gen. Melissa Rank, assistant Air Force surgeon general for medical force development and nursing services, called the C-9 the “flagship” and noted that “the very sight of the red cross on the tail was a symbol of hope, care, and relief to servicemen and women at home and abroad, in time of war and peace.”
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.