An all-female crew flew a C-130E combat cargo mission in and out of Iraq. The Daily Press in North Carolina reported the first-of-its-kind event on Sept. 26. The six women in the crew are all assigned to the 43rd Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C. The fact that the airlifter they flew dates from 1962 is certainly worth a mention, too.
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.