Four days after their official transfer of authority ceremony, U.S. Army Soldiers with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa’s East Africa Response Force deployed for the primary time since being established earlier this year. The Soldiers loaded onto a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules Dec. 14, and deployed to South Sudan, supporting the U.S. Embassy’s ordered departure. “When the 1/18th arrived in Djibouti, we stressed that they had to be able to hit the bottom running,” said Maj. Gen. Terry Ferrell, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, or CJTF-HOA, commanding general. “And, they’ve proven they were. This is because we’re... Read More »

Boeing’s bid to win a primary Brazilian warplane contract is facing headwinds from US-Brazil tensions over alleged US spying, a top Boeing official said in Washington Friday. Allegations that the us spied at the communications of Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, led her last month to cancel an October 23 state visit to Washington, putting the united states company’s bid in a holding pattern, said Donna Hrinak, head of Boeing Brazil. “We expected that the visit would send a signal that Brazil and the U.S. were excited by the type of strategic partnership that may make possible a call in support... Read More »

After months of hard training and expectation, the rubber finally hit the street in Turkey for the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. With a proper transfer of authority inside the southeastern Turkey city of Gaziantep, Dec. 13, the formidable responsibilities of safeguarding civilians from airborne threats now becomes the daily mission for almost 300 air defense Soldiers out of Rhine Ordnance Barracks in Germany. “At the top of the day, always remember that there are greater than one million people inside the city of Gaziantep dependent on you for defense from... Read More »

Israeli warplanes this week practiced long-range missions including mid-air refueling in what local media said was a signal to archfoe Iran. The Israeli air force on Thursday posted pictures and video of the exercise on its website, without saying where or when it passed off. But the accompanying text gave what the net version of Haaretz daily called “the heaviest of hints concerning the goal of the exercise…a possible attack on Iran.” Haaretz said the drill happened with the Greek air force. Israel says that until Iran halts what the Jewish State and its US ally say is a covert... Read More »

Lockheed Martin and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) celebrated the beginnings of the 1st F-35 Lightning II for Australia yesterday. The aircraft, designated as AU-1, officially began the mate process, where major components of the aircraft are joined together to form the aircraft’s structure. AU-1 will then make its way down the assembly line and roll out of the factory for delivery to the RAAF in the summertime of 2014. Jeff Babione, Lockheed Martin Vp and Deputy Program Manager for F-35, highlighted the continuing partnership between Lockheed Martin and Australia. “Today marks a brand new beginning for tactical aviation... Read More »