Airmen with the 443rd Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, recently conducted the first live-fire training to teach unit members how to respond to a shooter on base. NATO Training Command-Afghanistan initiated this training in response to the tragic shooting at Kabul International Airport in April that cost the lives of eight US airmen and one US contractor at the hands of an irate Afghan air force officer. The three days of instruction were meant to help improve adviser reaction to such a scenario with activities like rapid-fire drills, quick-fire reaction drills, and seated reaction drills. MSgt. Terry Gilbert of Kandahar’s 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, said future plans include incorporating “some building clearing techniques, assault maneuvers, and more advanced weapons handling.” (Kabul report by Capt. Jamie Humphries)
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.