US Central Command’s Deployment and Distribution Operations Center has begun a test to see whether commercial air cargo transport measures up to the military task in Iraq and Afghanistan, US Transportation Command Announced this week. The test began July 17 and will run 45 days in order to validate the cost and effectiveness of the new scheduling of air cargo traffic, with some commercial carriers being tested to see if they can handle increased cargo requirements. TRANSCOM planners estimate that 15 to 20 routes now flown by military aircraft may be better served by commercial air. CENTCOM estimates put savings under such a move at approximately $600,000 a day.
Less than a day after arriving in the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. defended Israel from an Iranian attack in April 2024. DUDE flight, four F-15Es from the 335th Fighter Squadron, downed two dozen Iranian drones in roughly 45 minutes.