An MH-53 Pave Low helicopter from the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., made its final flight Sept. 5, landing outside the Air Force Armament Museum near Eglin Air Force Base, its final resting place. The aircraft, tail No. 73-1652, is now part of the museum’s collection. “This is a wonderful aircraft that served its country proudly for over the past 35 years,” said George Jones, museum director. The Air Force will formally retire all of its remaining Pave Lows on Sept. 30. The CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft is replacing them. MH-53s flew during the Vietnam War and have continued to be a mainstay of operations since then, including heavy use in the war on terror. (Hurlburt report by 1st Lt. Lauren Johnson)
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…