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RALEIGH -- The Navy on Monday defended its selection of a 30,000-acre landing field for fighter jets in eastern North Carolina that is bitterly opposed by environmentalists and local governments. In a 77-page document filed with Judge Terrence Boyle, the Navy said it complied with the law and that the landing field won't hurt a nearby wildlife refuge. Boyle earlier issued an order stopping work while a lawsuit fighting the selection is decided, and the Navy has appealed that to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "The United States has demonstrated that there are no material issues of fact,...

AL ASAD AIRFIELD, Iraq, Dec. 14, 2004 – Aviation is continuing to play a part in mopping up insurgents in Fallujah, the commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said here today. Marine Maj. Gen. Keith J. Stalder commands about 9,000 Marine and Army troops based at this airfield between Baghdad and the Syrian border. He said aviation helped Marines and soldiers in the city with the combat they faced in retaking Fallujah and aviation continues to target the small pockets of insurgents that remain. "The wing is still flying missions -- mostly fixed-wing, but some rotary-wing missions as well,"...

Marines dedicate Al Taqaddum airfield to fallen aviatorSubmitted by: 3rd Marine Aircraft WingStory Identification #: 200482772511Story by Sgt. Nathan K. LaForte AL TAQADDUM (GREENE FIELD), Iraq (Aug. 22,2004) -- A group of Marines recently gathered on the flightline of Al Taqaddum, Iraq to pay tribute to their fallen brother. In the late afternoon sun Aug. 22, they dedicated the airfield at TQ to Lt. Col. David S. Greene, a reserve Marine AH-1W Super Cobra pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, killed in action July 28. Greene was flying a...

An Iraqi air force Seeker reconnaissance aircraft awaits its first operational mission at Basra Airfield in southern Iraq, Aug. 18, 2004. The aircraft will be used to monitor oil pipelines and borders. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Steve Alvarez Iraqi Air Force Begins Operations By U.S. Army Sgt. Jared Zabaldo / Office of Security Transition / Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq BASRAH, Iraq, Aug. 20, 2004 — The Iraqi air force commenced operations Aug. 18, with the flights of two SB7L-360 Seeker reconnaissance aircraft in “limited operations missions” intended to protect infrastructure facilities and Iraq’s borders as part...

                                              You can hear me soon KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq -- Airmen 1st Class Jenna Welsh (left) and Cody Vice offload telecommunications equipment Nov. 17 from a commercial IL-76 cargo aircraft here. Almost 1,000 pieces of telecommunications equipment was unloaded by hand during two trips to the base. The equipment will be sent to the city of Kirkuk to establish northern Iraq's first cellular telephone network. Both airmen are assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert Wieland) KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq -- Airman Aaron Belew (below left) and Airman 1st Class...

Coalition forces (Dutch/Italian) provide airfield security at Tal lil Air Base, IraqStory and photo by Staff Sgt. Ward GrosTroops from the 28 countries that have committed forces to support the International Coalition in Iraq have begun assuming more and more duties. Dutch and Italian forces at Tallil Air Base in southern Iraq who are providing internal airfield security together. The Dutch conduct roving patrols while the Italians man checkpoints and provide a quick reaction force for the airfield. “Although we have different responsibilities, our area of responsibility is the same,” said Italian Master Sgt. Gianni Pitzalis who works force...

U.S. Search Teams Find Buried Iraqi Jets Fri Aug 1, 2:32 AM ET By JOHN J. LUMPKIN, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Some of Iraqi's missing air force has turned up down below. Search teams, some hunting for Iraq (news - web sites)'s alleged weapons of mass destruction, found dozens of fighter jets from Iraq's air force buried beneath the sands, U.S. officials say. At least one Cold War-era MiG-25 interceptor was found when searchers saw the tops of its twin tail fins poking up from the sands, said one Pentagon (news - web sites) official familiar with the hunt....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Some of Iraqi's missing air force has turned up down below. Search teams, some hunting for Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, found dozens of fighter jets from Iraq's air force buried beneath the sands, U.S. officials say. At least one Cold War-era MiG-25 interceptor was found when searchers saw the tops of its twin tail fins poking up from the sands, said one Pentagon official familiar with the hunt. He said search teams have found several MiG-25s and Su-25 ground attack jets buried at al-Taqqadum air field west of Baghdad. Iraq's air squadrons were a no-show...

CANBERRA, Australia, May 09, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Elite Australian special forces charged with knocking out Scud missile bases entered deep into Iraq two days before the opening salvo of the war, defense officials said Friday. Releasing details on the role of Australia's 150 Special Air Services troops in Iraq for the first time, defense officials said a large contingent of Australian special forces went into Iraq the night of March 18. The commandos were mainly charged with reconnaissance and "shoot and scoot" missions tracking key military targets and destroying them, either with their own weapons or...

TBILISI, March 25 (Itar-Tass) -- The Kopitnari military airfield in southern Georgia is ready for servicing US warplanes, the Georgian president's envoy in the region, Temur Shashiashvili, said. He told reporters on Tuesday that American experts had visited the Kopitnari airfield two times in the recent days to look at its possibilities. However, the US so far has not formally asked Georgia to provide its military airfields. Nevertheless, Georgian authorities said they were prepared for such a development of events

US says controlling movement in Iraq western desert AS SAYLIYA CAMP, Qatar, March 31 (Reuters) - U.S. special forces are in control of movement across Iraq's western desert, a senior U.S. commander said on Monday. "We are denying freedom of movement throughout the western desert and are being very effective at it," Brigadier General Vincent Brooks told a news briefing in Qatar. U.S. officials have said two airfields in the western desert were seized by U.S. forces in the early stages of the war. Analysts have said the H2 and H3 airfields -- named after pumping stations on a disused...

Some of America's prickliest Arab allies, notably Saudi Arabia, gave much more support for the war in Iraq than was admitted in public, it was disclosed yesterday. Officially Saudi rulers merely permitted the US air force to use a command and control centre at Prince Sultan air base and allowed American aircraft to enforce the "no-fly" zone over southern Iraq. In reality, official sources told the Washington Post, at least 10,000 US troops passed through Saudi Arabia. US special forces, ostensibly on standby for search-and-rescue operations, were allowed to cross from northern Saudi Arabia into western Iraq, where they seized...

An Australian flag now flies over al-Asad air base. Once home of the Iraqi air force, its capture last week effectively marks the end of what were probably the most intense operations in the history of this SAS regiment. And also, the Australians say, a new beginning for Iraq. The 57 Soviet-made MiGs, helicopters, anti-aircraft batteries, helicopters and 7.9 million kilograms of munitions and ordnance captured will form the basis of the "free Iraq air force" and it is a matter of considerable pride for men who never doubted the value of their mission. According to the regiment's operational commander,...

<p>CAMP ASAYLIYAH, DOHA, Qatar — The 4th Infantry Division finally is in the fight. On Wednesday, the 1st Brigade of the Fort Hood, Texas-based division took on the bad guys outside Baghdad, killing some, capturing some and taking control of an airfield.</p>

U.S. Marines Seize Airfield in Tikrit By SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI .c The Associated Press TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - U.S. tanks and troops moved through the streets of Tikrit in force Tuesday after overpowering Iraqi troops in Saddam Hussein's hometown, but the anger and loyalty of its residents was not easily overcome. While U.S. helicopters flew overhead, U.S. Marines searched pedestrians for weapons at checkpoints and vehicle traffic was strictly controlled. The Marines seized the Tikrit South Airfield, on the city's southern outskirts, while taking rocket fire from Saddam loyalists. American tanks at a bridge over the Tigris River barred people from...

Tornado being observed just north of Hood Army Airfield! Anyone up on FR in the vicinty take cover NOW!!

Twelve people were arrested yesterday at an airfield where US B-52 bombers are being prepared for deployment to the Gulf, police said. A group of people cut through fencing at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to get closer to the 14 warplanes which have been based there since Tuesday after clearance was given from Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. The planes are expected to be at the forefront of any initial attack against Iraq. A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: "I can confirm that this afternoon at RAF Fairford there have been 12 arrests following criminal activity on the base in respect...