Air Force Reserve Command’s 815th Airlift Squadron from Keesler AFB, Miss., returns to Southwest Asia operations this month for the start of a new deployment with the newest Hercules, the C-130J. The Flying Jennies teamed with the Air National Guard in 2004 to put the first of the new Herks into action in the war on terror, even as the aircraft was still undergoing testing in the US. The 814th AS also has flown its J models around the world, showcasing the new airlifter at international air shows.
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.