Backfrom ‘thesandbox’

A USAF KC-135 refuels a B-1B over Iraq insupport of Operation Inherent Resolvein January 2016. The Lancer aircrew wasassigned to the 34th Expeditionary BombSquadron.
USAF/Staff Sgt Corey Hook

During the deployment to Fairford,AFM spoke to ‘O’Doyle’, a B-1Baircraft commander now assignedto the 28th Operations Group at EllsworthAFB. He reflected on his impressionsof combat missions flown over Syriafrom Al Udeid AB, United Arab Emirates, following the successful relief of Kobanein spring 2015 and before the typemade way for the B-52H in April 2016.“Initially we were about the onlygame in town. We had the legs and theweapons. The ‘Vipers’ were showingup more and more as our deploymentprogressed. And then after Turkey startedallowing our combat aircraft to operatefrom there, that brought the A-10s intothe fight. The more air power we couldbring to bear on them, the better.

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