Air Force Special Operations Command crews from the 347th Rescue Wing, headquartered Moody AFB, Ga., had picked up 221 stranded Hurricane Katrina survivors as of Aug. 31, the Air Force confirmed Thursday in a statement. That is the latest date for which comprehensive data are available. Operating from the Jackson-Evers International Airport in Mississippi, the AFSOC wing sent in 14 HH-60G Pave Hawks (including nine from its units at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and Nellis AFB, Nev.), aircrews, pararescuemen, and maintainers.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.