Officials at Dover AFB, Del., decided to revamp the tail flash used to identify base mobility aircraft. The new design, they say, represents the wings and the state. The eagle’s head represents the 436th Airlift Wing, known as the “Eagle Wing,” and the liberty bell represents the 512th AW, called the “Liberty Wing.” The flash embodies the state of Delaware with its colonial blue color and the diamond for the first state. Air Mobility Command has approved the new design, which the aircraft will receive as they go through routine inspections.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.