Brig. Gen. Scott Goodwin, Air Mobility Command’s director of operations, led an aircrew that flew the Air Force’s newest C-17 transport from Boeing’s production plant in Long Beach, Calif., to JB Lewis-McChord, Wash. The airplane touched down at McChord on Feb. 20, according to the base’s Feb. 26 release. It joined the 62nd Airlift Wing, which operates McChord’s large complement of C-17s together with Air Force Reserve Command’s 446th AW. By our count, this airplane is the 219th C-17 that Boeing has supplied thus far to the Air Force. Overall, the Air Force has ordered 224 C-17s. (McChord report by TSgt. Sean Tobin) (See also Thinking Globally.)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
