Airmen of US Central Command Air Forces are continuing airlift efforts for Pakistan earthquake relief efforts. On Sunday and Monday, four C-17s airlifted more than 192,000 pounds of supplies and equipment. As of Oct. 17, USAF officials said C-17s have flown into Pakistan a total of 938,000 pounds of cargo, 182 pallets, and 69 passengers. They also noted that a C-17 airlifted seven soldiers from Qatar with their mobile hospital. USAF C-5s have flown US Army CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Texas to Pakistan. Airmen from active duty, Air Guard, and Air Force Reserve Command units around the country often have formed mixed crews to support the relief effort.
With a new policy in hand, the Air Force’s Foreign Military Sales enterprise is looking to go beyond selling USAF systems to allies and partner nations—and instead help them develop their own capabilities. Such an approach, deemed “non-program of record acquisitions,” is part of a larger shift in FMS toward…