Capt. James G. Gallagher and a 13-man crew take off from Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, in Lucky Lady II, a Strategic Air Command B-50A. They land 94 hours and one minute later, having completed the first nonstop flight around the world. The 23,452-mile flight requires four midair refuelings and demonstrates that distance and geographical barriers no longer offer sanctuary from airpower.
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.