Two dozen airmen from Charleston AFB, S.C. recently participated in an international mission to invade the North Carolina coast—as part of an exercise called Operation Iron Thunder. The C-17 airmen helped wrap up a four-day joint training session involving 100 US, British and NATO aircraft that took them to Camp Lejeune and the MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., the Charleston Post and Courier reports. The C-17s were used to pick up marines, vehicles and supplies, perform a mid-air refuel and maneuver to avoid “smoky Sams”—dummy surface to air missiles. “We want to incorporate more of what we’re doing in the real world,” said Capt. Aaron Walenga, one of the C-17 pilots.
The Air Force plans to have its new Integrated Capabilities Command stood up by the end of 2024, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said May 2, offering new details of one of the signature reforms announced by the service earlier this year. Allvin said around 500-800 Airmen will…