Alaska Air National Guard officials tell the Anchorage Daily News that the state’s 176th Wing has taken center stage for airlift operations in Afghanistan—a role that may extend for two years. The wing volunteered for the job and plans to rotate approximately 50 airmen from Kulis Air National Guard Base in and out of Afghanistan every two months. This is the first time the wing has participated in the current Southwest Asia operations because Pacific Air Forces restricted the unit to maintain sufficient airlift in the Pacific region.
Reports of production troubles on the SpaceX rocket that could contend for military cargo deliveries happened to coincide with a different company’s concept receiving an early nod—one that might not require a rocket at all.