A hawker Beechcraft MC-12W surveillance platform (08-0376) flew the variant's first operational mission on June 10 from Joint Base Balad, landing back at the Iraqi airfield four hours later at 1820hrs. The crew comprised Capt Jason Goodale (pilot), Lt Col Phillip Stewart (mission commander), and sensor operators Senior Master Sgt Bruce Hunter and Staff Sgt Shaun Nelson. The aircraft had arrived at Balad two days earlier and was assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (ERS) when it was activated the following day.
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