A team of 20 active duty airmen, Air National Guardsmen, and Air Force Reservists is responsible for in-theater upkeep of the T-56 engines and propellers used on C-130 transports in Southwest Asia. They form the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron’s C-130 engine centralized repair facility. Their forward presence saves the Air Force time and money and helps keep more C-130s available to support operations, according to members of the unit. “We save the Air Force more than $17 million a year in depot and transportation costs,” said MSgt. Reginald Lytch, 379 EMXS propulsion flight chief. On average, the group overhauls and tests more than 180 C-130 propellers, and repairs and tests more than 35 T-56 turboprop engines annually. (379th AEW report by SrA. Spencer Gallien)
Seven F-22 Raptor pilots have recently been awarded one of the military’s highest decorations for their actions during operations in the Middle East. Six of the pilots were decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.