Three C-130s of Iraq’s 23rd Air Transport Squadron flew two battalions of Iraqi security troops from Irbil to Tall Afar in Iraq over a two-day period last week, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, with the Multinational Force Iraq, told reporters Thursday. The flights marked the first use of the new Iraqi air force to directly support the deployment of Iraqi combat forces inside of Iraq. Iraq’s new air arm begins life with a great advantage over its predecessor—the US Air Force is now a friend, rather than an adversary.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
