The commander of the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Fighter Wing in Syracuse hosted a media event Dec. 17 to discuss the unit’s new mission as MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted vehicle operators. Bradley said the airmen of the wing, which conducted its first Reaper mission Dec. 1, are “extremely proud of the fine heritage of this unit and they are equally excited about operating this cutting-edge technology.” The media got to talk with some of the RPV operators and that’s when they learned that Bradley had imposed a no-last name rule during media interviews. The Syracuse News reports that Bradley had taken note of a rising number of protests directed at the use of military drones and events around the country, like the killings at Ft. Hood, Tex., that had raised his concern level. The Air Guard unit also serves as USAF’s Reaper maintenance training central. (174th FW report by Capt. Anthony Bucci)
Gas is king in the vast expanse of the Pacific. And as the Pentagon has sought to build up its capability to deter China, the Department of Defense has undergone a major rethink about how to get fuel to the region. At the heart of the effort is the U.S. Transportation…