To reduce the exposure of ground troops in Iraq, the Air Force has been flying more and more people and gear that otherwise would travel by truck convoy. Gen. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff, told Pentagon reporters yesterday that “100 percent of what can fly has been off the road since September [2006].” That’s a lot of cargo and a lot of people. In the peak month, Moseley said USAF flew 9,000 troops who otherwise would have gone by convoy; the load averages about 4,500 people a month.
The Air Force is upgrading some 70 MQ-9 Reapers to a new configuration that will keep the type capable and relevant to the near-peer fight for another 15 years. It awarded General Atomics a $272.3 million contract to enhance the Reaper's weapons, electric power, connectivity, and resistance to jamming, among…