The Air Force plan to open more airspace over Utah and Nevada to expand the training area for aircraft predominantly flying out of Hill Air Force Base in Utah has met with continued resistance from environmentalists, civil pilots, and area residents. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that opponents to the plan say the Air Force has failed to make its case for the extra airspace. The service earlier downsized its plan, and officials thought it would be on safer ground. The newspaper reports that a coalition of groups and individuals in opposition, now known as the Rural Alliance for Military Accountability, sent a letter to the Air Force decrying the environmental impact statement on the initiative as “fatally flawed” and “deceptive.” The alliance believes the service has underestimated the noise level from supersonic flights among other issues.
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…