Al Udeid Air Base in
Qatar is one of the most
important operating
locations in the Middle
East, supporting
missions over Iraq
and Syria as part of
Operation ‘Inherent
Resolve’ and now with a
renewed focus
on Afghanistan.A
L UDEID SERVES as the
headquarters of US Central
Command, it is also host
to the resident 379th Air
Expeditionary Wing (AEW)
and the regional Combined
Air Operations Center (CAOC). Brig
Gen Jason R. Armagost is the current
commander of the AEW, overseeing a
variety of types that provide a range of
missions including strike, intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance,
mobility, aeromedical evacuation and
command and control assets. They are
ying as part of ‘Inherent Resolve’ and
‘Freedom’s Sentinel’ in Afghanistan.
This photo-report provides a taste of
some of the recently deployed assets, ones
that rarely make the headlines, but are
essential enablers of joint operations.US Navy P-3C AIP+ BuNo 162318 of
VP-1 ‘Screaming Eagles’ on approach
to Al Udeid during the squadron’s 2017
deployment, complete with AGM-65F
Mavericks on its outer pylons. The Anti-
Surface Warfare Improvement Program
(AIP) gave the P-3C a surface attack
capability with the ability to carry six
AGM-64E Harpoon anti-ship missiles,
in addition to the standard infra-red
AGM-65F Maverick air-to-ground
missiles and Rockeye cluster bombs.
The AIP P-3 has proved its value
tracking time-sensitive targets. AIP+
aircraft include Link 16 and INMARSAT
(commercial international maritime
satellite) connectivity, this being
identifi ed by a new antenna on the
upper fuselage just aft of the cockpit.
All photos H. EvansCOMBAT REPORT // AL UDEID
84 April 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
E-8C Joint STARS serial 95-0122 turns fi nals at Al Udeid.
The FY19 US defense budget proposes keeping the E-8C
operational through the mid-2020s as the USAF develops
an advanced battle management system.84-85 Al Udeid C.indd 84 15/02/2018 12:50