European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 16, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 stars and stripes Mideast edition july air Force building its own surge in Iraq by Charles Hanley the associated press Balad air Iraq away from the headlines and de Bate Over the surge in ground the air Force has quietly built up its hardware in Side sharply stepped up bombing and Laid a foundation for a sustained air Campaign in sup port of american and iraqi squadrons of attack planes have been added to the i country the air reconnaissance Arm has Al most doubled since last the powerful bulb bomber has been recalled to action Over the escalation worries some about an increase in collateral casualties among iraqi air Force generals worry about Wear and tear on aging air but ground commanders clearly like what they night before last we had 14 strikes from by last night we had 18 strikes by by Rick Lynch said approvingly of air support his 3rd infantry division received in a recent offensive South of statistics Tell the Story air Force and Navy aircraft dropped 437 bombs and missiles in Iraq in the first six months of a five fold increase Over the 86 used in the first half of and three times More than in the second half of according to air Force in bombs dropped at a rate of More than five a photos by Maya air Force Shaun from prepares to Pilot his f16 Falcon aircraft at Balad air 50 Miles North of last the air Force has been quietly inside air conditioned building its Iraq presence during the surge in ground a new air traffic con the closer to the ground gone involved a new air traffic control Center at this huge air Force Hub 50 Miles North of the expanded commitment can be seen on the Central display screen Small Points of Light represent More than 100 aircraft crisscross ing iraqi air space at any one the increased air activity has paralleled the reinforcement of ground beginning in to try to suppress the insurgency and sectarian Vio the reinforcement More than the new f16cs were the first of the advanced Block 50 version to Fly in an aircraft whose technology includes a cockpit helmet that enables the Pilot to aim his weapons at a target simply by turning his head and looking at the Navy has contributed by stationing a second aircraft Carrier in the persian and the re introduction of lbs has added a close than platform capable of carrying 24 tons of those big bombers were moved last year from Distant Diego Gar Cia in the Indian Ocean to an Undis closed base in the persian since with the on Iraq bombing runs for the first time since the 2003 As chronicled in the air forces daily More and More pilots Are getting the cleared hot clearance for bomb ing usually with 500pound have ply keeping those addition Al troops supplied has added to de mands on the air were the busiest Aerial port in said Dave Rey a Mission support com working 12hour his cargo handlers Are expected to move tons of cargo this on third More than in he the greatest Impact of the air surge has come in close air support for army and Marine opera Early this with Little the air Force sent a Squadron of a10 warthog attack planes a dozen or More air Craft to be based at Al Asad air base in Western at the same time it added a Squadron of f16c fighting Falcons Here at although some had flown missions Over Iraq from elsewhere in the the additions doubled to 50 or More the number of work airmen from the 332nd expeditionary aircraft horse fighter bomber jets maintenance Squadron repair an f16 Falcon at available at bases inside salad air base last uncovered by in one in several houses insurgents were using As fire Posi Iraq body a London Antiwar research group that monitors iraqi War says the St Pup in air attacks appears to have been accompanied by an increase in iraqi civil Ian casualties from air based on Media re it counts a recent average of 50 such deaths per the air Force itself does not maintain such the demand for air sup port is on one re cent at a briefing at tended by a it was noted that 48 requests for air support were but 16 went there Are times when the army wishes we had More said f16c Pilot Steve commander of the 13th expeditionary fighter squad a component of bal ads 379th air expedition Ary in the air Force is performing More is work in bombings Rise air Force and Navy aircraft bombings in Iraq increased five fold in the first six months of 2007 compared to those in the first half of 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20m 171 aircraft bombings in Iraq through june 17 la Lull  of mama 2006 2007 through june 2006 bombs through june 2007 source air Force a surveillance and recon we have probably come close to doubling our is platforms the past 12 said Gary a Deputy air operations chief for the Cen trial those proliferating reconnaissance platforms include predator High flying u2s and the technology packed airborne warning and control air three of which returned to the persian Gulf in april after three years the f16cs and other attack planes also do surveillance work with their targeting keeping watch on Convoy for by Crowder All squadrons will have Rover Able to download mealtime Aerial video to the Laptop computers of troops on the ground showing in whats around the next they love its like having a Security camera wherever you want said Joe the air forces regional operations air Force mean Are improving this centrally located Home which sup ports some air operations per the weaker of salads two runways was rein forced for five to seven years More hard the engineers next will build Concrete Over runs at the runways bal ads strategic the Concrete parking lot for its biggest was expanded last fall the air traffic control system is to be up graded again with the latest tech wed like to get it to be a Field like if you said mis Sion support chief re Ferring to the air Force showcase base in the air Force has flown Over Iraq for Many having enforced nobly zones with the Navy in Banning iraqi aircraft from Northern and South Ern areas of this it takes a Long View Many expect the army to draw Down its Iraq forces by but the air Force is planning for a continued conflict in which it supports iraqi until we can determine that the iraqis have got their air Force to sufficient i think the coalition will be Here to support that Gary Overall regional air said in an the new iraqi air Force thus far Fields Only a handful of transports and recon Naissance aircraft no attack fast worldwide shipping email phone 18002389481 made in Brooklyn show your love 1 giant stuffed animals pm up to 8feet tall say i love you in a big Way styles of giant stuffed animals proudly serving the military for Over 10 years to Nett main Dubai Lamia