The Air Force is using two C-5B and two C-5M transports operating out of Western Europe to help US Transportation Command move Army helicopters into Afghanistan and bring others back to the United States. The C-5s will haul more than 170 helicopters during this operation, including CH-47 Chinooks, UH-60 Black Hawks, and OH-58 Kiowas, according to Air Mobility Command officials at Scott AFB, Ill. Commercial ships are carrying 159th Combat Aviation Brigade helicopters to Western Europe for loading onto the C-5s, which then fly them directly into Afghanistan. The C-5s are bringing back 101st Combat Aviation Brigade helos to Europe for loading on the ships for the trip back to the United States. The four C-5 are assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, Del. (Scott report by MSgt. Scott T. Sturkol)
The B-21 Raider stealth bomber was recently flown, for the first time, by an operational pilot as part of its flight test process, the Air Force said June 11. And a top Pentagon official said the move to bring operational testing into the B-21 process earlier than normal shows the…