U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021. U.S. Air Force / Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen
The Air & Space Brief: ‘Flush the force;’ The last C-17 out of Kabul; 123,000 saved; and more
Welcome to the Defense One Air and Space newsletter. Here are our top stories of the week:
‘Flush the force’: Five handpicked joint tactical exfiltration teams and five C-17 Globemaster IIIs were the last aircraft in Kabul, executing the final minutes of the United States’ 20-year war in Afghanistan. Here’s how they got out.
123,000 saved: The largest airlift in U.S. military history flew 116,700 people out of Kabul on more than 720 military and chartered flights in just 15 days, and another 5,600 before that, according to daily passenger and flight data released by the White House. A link to our chart of flights per day, which reached a peak of 21,600 on Aug. 23, is here.
Low Earth objects on the rise: There are now 35,000 objects—including satellites—orbiting Earth, an increase of 22 percent in just 2 years, according to Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of Space Operations Command.
Space acquisition: Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced at the Space Symposium that he has established a new space acquisition office and is speeding up plans to absorb the Space Development Agency, to put the military’s space buying efforts under one roof.
Sign up to get The Air & Space Brief every Tuesday from Tara Copp, Defense One’s Senior Pentagon Reporter. On Aug. 31, 2010, President Barack Obama announced the end of combat operations in Iraq.
From Defense One
Inside the Final Hours at Kabul Airport // Tara Copp: Alone on the airfield after hundreds of other U.S. troops had left, five handpicked joint tactical exfiltration crews blew up the last remaining defenses and took off in the dark.
The Last U.S. Military Plane Has Left Kabul. What’s Next for Americans, Afghans Left Behind? // Tara Copp: "Do not count on Americans to save you," one volunteer rescue group warns Afghans now at risk.
Number of Objects in Low Earth Orbit Jumps 22% in 2 Years: Space Operations Command // Tara Copp: Need to track, detect objects driving need for new space domain awareness investment.
Air Force’s Kendall Creates Space Acquisition Office, Accelerates Absorption of Space Development Agency // Marcus Weisgerber: And the new service secretary is asking Congress to allow him to move faster yet.