Air Mobility Command crews are deployed to the Qayyarah Airfield West in Iraq preparing the site for operations to take Mosul, much like the crews did last year to set up al Taqaddum, AMC commander Gen. Carlton Everhart said at ASC16. Iraqi forces took the airfield earlier this year, and officials with Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve said work is being done by US forces to prepare the site for combat aircraft. The airfield lies about 60 miles south of Mosul. However, details have been scarce about the operation. Air Mobility Command crews include contingency response teams that focus on quickly setting up remote airfields for contingency operations.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a GPS III spacecraft on Jan. 27, the ninth of 10 planned GPS III spacecraft to reach orbit. The GPS III satellites bring increased accuracy and anti-jam capabilities to the GPS constellation, which now numbers 32satellites.
