The Air Force, which continues to build up its in-theater infrastructure to support Operation Inherent Resolve, reactivated the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at an undisclosed Persian Gulf nation earlier this month. With more aircraft and missions operating from the base, Air Forces Central Command re-designated the 332nd Air Expeditionary Group as a full-fledged AEW. Col. Mike Koscheski, who took over command of the 332nd AEW during a May 19 ceremony, said the wing would be “expanding in terms of mission sets” in the near future. The 332nd AEW eventually will incorporate a rescue group to support OIR taskings within the region, and will add an air advisory group to assist Iraqi Air Force, Army, and aviation assets grow in capability. The 332nd AEG stood up late last year in the Gulf region to support USAF deployments for OIR, to include A-10s and other assets. “We’ve come a long way, but there’s much more to be done,” said Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten, commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force. The 332nd AEW inactivated previously in 2012, after supporting combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.