US Continues Support for Saudi Offensive in Yemen

The Air Force is still actively supporting the Saudi Arabian-led campaign in Yemen, with US advisers and air refueling support. Lt. Gen. Charles Brown, commander of US Air Forces Central Command, said at AWS16 the Air Force has an air liaison team deployed to Riyadh to advise on the campaign, in addition to air refueling support. Gen. Carlton Everhart, commander of Air Mobility Command, said US tankers are flying sorties daily to refuel aircraft involved in the campaign. Saudi Arabia in March 2015 began an air campaign in Yemen targeting Houthis, al Qaeda, ISIS, and other groups in the middle of a civil war in the country. Additional Arab countries have joined the coalition, with the US and other Western countries providing non-kinetic support. The continued operations by US tankers led to a record year for KC-135s deployed to Central Command, flying more than 100,000 hours in support of this campaign, along with Operation Inherent Resolve in the region. The US has also provided search and rescue support for the campaign, with a Djibouti-based Air Force team in March rescuing a two-man Saudi F-15S crew from the Red Sea after it ejected during a strike sortie.