Members of the Afghan air force’s Kandahar Air Wing and US Army’s Task Force Thunder recently conducted their first joint air assault mission. During Operation Sand Hill Crane, two Army UH-60 Black Hawks and one AAF Mi-17 helicopter inserted specialized teams into villages around Kandahar Airfield to target Taliban fighters with reintegration leaflets. “The mission was absolutely successful,” said Lt. Col. Fred Koegler of the 441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. Army OH-58D Kiowa Warriors and AH-64 Apaches provided overwatch during the two-day mission. “Our Afghan air force partners worked hard with us to ensure success, and we couldn’t have performed this mission without their dedication,” said TSgt. Jason Sitzes, an adviser evaluator. (Kabul report by Capt. Jamie Humphries)
F-35 Deliveries Soared to New Record in 2025
Jan. 8, 2026
Lockheed Martin says it delivered 191 F-35 fighters in 2025—just ahead of the goal it set for itself at the beginning of the year as it works to clear a backlog of jets in storage.
