Air Force cargo flights increase in Iraq

Air Force cargo flights increase in Iraq    The U.S. military has begun using cargo planes to deliver supplies closer to troops in the field because long truck convoys are so susceptible to insurgent attack, according to news reports from the Pentagon.
   The Air Force is using C-130 and C-17 planes, as well as commercial transport planes flown by its own pilots, to transport vehicles, food and other material to different regions.
   Previously, most cargo flown from bases in the United States, Europe and Asia arrived in neighboring Kuwait and was trucked through Iraq, but military officials have decided to reduce the number of convoys to reduce the danger from attacks. Most supply vehicles are not armored and many have been destroyed in the past 18 months.
   The increase in flights kept more than 400 trucks and about 1,050 drivers and military escorts off dangerous routes during November, CNN reported.
   Other cargo from the United States is flown into Baghdad International Airport.
   Air cargo volume increased in November to 450 tons per day, about 100 tons per day more than during previous months, according to CNN.
   Air Force commanders authorized airdrops and landings for cargo planes on roads in areas where there are no airstrips, but none have taken place so far.
   The C-130 and the C-17, with a payload of 84.5 tons, are capable of taking off and landing on short, unpaved airstrips. Commercial pilots are prevented by military regulation from flying into high-risk combat areas.