Officials at Aviano AB, Italy, inactivated the base’s 603rd Air Control Squadron as part of Air Force-wide cost-saving measures. The inactivation took place during an Aug. 29 ceremony, according to Aviano’s Sept. 4 release. “It is truly an honor to have commanded this fine group of airmen from this legendary unit,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Carocci, the squadron’s commander, at the event. He thanked the unit’s airmen for their accomplishments. The unit, which traces its history back to December 1945, provided one of two Air Force theater air control systems in Europe in support of NATO ground forces. In mid-January, the unit returned from its final deployment, having spent time in Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. (Aviano report by SrA. Michael Battles)
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
