More than 100 active duty and reserve airmen and a group of US sailors, along with a handful of US military aircraft, participated in the first-ever Bahrain International Airshow that took place Jan, 21-23 in Manama on the small island-nation. The Air Force sent a C-17 and C-130H airlifter, a couple of F-16Cs, and a C-21A VIP transport as static displays, while the Navy sent its F/A-18 Super Hornet aerial demonstration team to perform at the event. Maj. Andrew Thorne, Air Forces Central’s lead planner, said the event was “a great opportunity for us to highlight the excellent relationship we have with the Kingdom of Bahrain, which is a strong, loyal ally to the United States.” The airshow will become a biennial event and will be held next in January 2012. (Manama release by TSgt. Joseph Kapinos, and Kaponis’ second dispatch)
The Air Force is moving forward with a new, algorithm-driven system to help U.S. Northern Command better detect airborne threats. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are tasked with protecting the homeland from attack, depend on a slew of radars and other data systems to monitor U.S.…