Transportation Command News Archive | TRANSCOM Or USTRANSCOM Alerts

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July 31, 2022 - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put out a statement outlining her trip to the Indo-Pacific region. The outline indicates that the Speaker will be visiting Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but does not mention visiting Taiwan. Read more

July 30, 2022 - The Chinese Navy will be holding live fire military exercises "in waters west of the Qiongzhou Strait" in the South China Sea on Friday and Saturday. Read more

July 30, 2022 - In response to the latest blasts from the east regarding Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the United States military has decided to send the largest ship in the fleet, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, along with its battle group to the South China Sea. Read more

July 28, 2022 - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine. Read more

July 24, 2022 - Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24th, 2022. The aircraft included a reconnaissance plane and flew through the Taiwan Strait, as well as the northwestern part of the Philippine Sea. Read more

July 22, 2022 - Pelosi would not confirm whether or not she will be following through with her plans to travel to the island of Taiwan in August, but did say that she believes that the military may be afraid her plane would be shot down by Chinese forces as they neared Taiwanese airspace. Read more

July 22, 2022 - Chinese state media says that China might try to impose a no-fly zone over the island of Taiwan ahead of Nancy Pelosi's visit in order to prevent the U.S. speaker of the House from being successful. Read more

July 20, 2022 - TAIWAN STRAIT - A US guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed through the Taiwan Strait on July 19th, 2022 with the Chinese military following and monitoring its transit; after which China claims the United States 'hyped' the transit up publicly and slammed the US as a 'maker of security risks'. Read more

July 19, 2022 - The New York National Guard are deploying to train Ukrainian soldiers. 140 troops Syracuse-situated 27th Infantry Brigade Combat squad deployed to Germany on Friday to assist Ukrainian military members. Read more

July 17, 2022 - A Ukrainian owned, soviet made Antonov-12 (An-12Bk) plane carrying 8 crew members is reported to have crashed in Kavala, Northern Greece while flying from Serbia to Jordan, carrying 12 tons of dangerous material. Read more

July 16, 2022 - Saudi Arabia on Friday made an announcement that it is lifting restrictions on all [Israeli] carriers, allowing them to use airspace over the country after a decades-long ban. Read more

July 04, 2022 - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read more

June 29, 2022 - China has claimed that two U.S. military aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, Jun 28th, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI). Read more

June 18, 2022 - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels carrying grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar. Read more

June 16, 2022 - China has notified the United States that the Taiwan Strait is a part of their maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not international waters, opposing the U.S. view that the strait is part of international waters. They have also given a warning to the U.S. to stay out of the Strait saying that they have sovereign rights over it. Read more

June 14, 2022 - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets. Read more

June 8, 2022 - A Marine Corps Aircraft has crashed, leaving four people dead and one missing in California. Contrary to initial media reports, the Naval Air Facility El Centro stated that there was no nuclear material aboard the aircraft involved in the crash. Read more

June 5, 2022 - The current baby formula shortage may be on the way to recovery as Abbott Laboratories opens back up for business, after their large manufacturing plant was closed down in February due to safety concerns due to contamination. Read more

June 4, 2022 - A U.S. Navy jet pilot has been killed after crashing a an F/A-18E Super Hornet jet in a desert in Southern California, near Trona. The jet was based at the Naval Air Station Lemoore and crashed at about 2:30 p.m in Bernardino County, according to a statement by the Navy. Read more

May 27, 2022 - A food insecurity expert has told the United Nations Security Council that the world only has a 10-week supply of wheat left stored, and that global food insecurity has now reached levels that hasn't been seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Read more

May 23, 2022 - An Air Force C-17 plane delivered 78,000 pounds of baby formula to the Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis on Sunday, May 22nd 2022 amidst a recent shortage. Read more

May 18, 2022 - The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, along with other United States naval vessels have come under NATO command once again for Neptune Shield Drills in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas. Read more

February 11, 2022 - The United States has deployed B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bombers belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota to the United Kingdom. Read more

February 10, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in Russia has put out a travel advisory for Russia saying that the advisory level is at: Level 4: Do Not Travel, for reasons including 'harassment against U.S. citizens, harassment by Russian government security officials as well as the 'arbitrary enforcement of local law' and 'increased tensions along the border of Ukraine'. Read more

February 8, 2022 - A new report by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations released an exhaustive report in February, 2022 about the evacuation from Afghanistan on August 31st, 2021 indicates that 9,000 of Americans were left behind in Afghanistan, as opposed to the estimate of 100 to 150 that had been released to the public. Read more

February 5, 2022 - United States and NATO fighter jets, which included British and Norwegian aircraft intercepted Russian planes over the North Atlantic on Thursday according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Read more

February 3, 2022 - The Pentagon has confirmed troops from the 82nd Airborne Division are being sent to Poland in the next few days while others are on high alert for deployment to Germany and Romania. Read more

December 18, 2021 - The US Marine Corps have permanently banned all amphibious vehicles from the water, including deploying or training in water after an amphibious vehicle sank in San Diego last year. The decision was made even though the Marine Corps has stated that they believe such vehicles are still 'safe and effective'. Read more

August 30, 2021 - USTRANSCOM: Since August 14th there have been about 116,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan. Since the end of July we have re-located about 122,300 people. Read more

August 24, 2021 - The Biden administration has confirmed that there is a risk of an ISIS-K terrorist attack in Afghanistan who may attempt to exploit the situation and target troops or civilians as U.S. troops continue to evacuate Americans and Afghans from the country. Read more

Pelosi's Press Release Does Not Mention The Delegation Visiting Taiwan - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has put out a statement outlining her trip to the Indo-Pacific region. The outline indicates that the Speaker will be visiting Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, but does not mention visiting Taiwan. Read Full Article

China To Hold Live Fire Military Exercises In Waters West Of QiongZhou Strait - The Chinese Navy will be holding live fire military exercises "in waters west of the Qiongzhou Strait" in the South China Sea on Friday and Saturday.

During the military exercises, entry will be prohibited, according to the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration.

Three navigation warnings were issued by the Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration (MSA): GD70/22, GD71/22, GD73/22, which have advised vessels against entering three 'designated' areas of the South China Sea during the times set apart for the exercises.

USS Ronald Reagan Battle Group In The South China Sea Amidst Biden Call With Xi - In response to the latest blasts from the east regarding Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the United States military has decided to send the largest ship in the fleet, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, along with its battle group to the South China Sea. Read Full Article

USTRANSCOM Moves 2,700 Pieces Of Army Equipment In Europe - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine.

Four Chinese Military Aircraft Enter Taiwan's ADIZ - Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24th, 2022. The aircraft included a reconnaissance plane and flew through the Taiwan Strait, as well as the northwestern part of the Philippine Sea.

The Chinese planes that entered Taiwan's ADIZ included: Two J-16 fighter jets, one Y-8 Anti-submarine warfare aircraft and one Y-8 RECCE (reconnaissance) plane.

Pelosi Says Chinese Military Might Shoot Down Her Plane Over Taiwan - Pelosi would not confirm whether or not she will be following through with her plans to travel to the island of Taiwan in August, but did say that she believes that the military may be afraid her plane would be shot down by Chinese forces as they neared Taiwanese airspace. Read Full Article

China May Declare No-Fly Zone Over Taiwan And Fly Over The Island If Pelosi Visits - Chinese state media says that China might try to impose a no-fly zone over the island of Taiwan ahead of Nancy Pelosi's visit in order to prevent the U.S. speaker of the House from being successful. Read Full Article

China Warns Of Forceful Measures If Nancy Pelosi Visits Taiwan - TAIWAN STRAIT - A US guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed through the Taiwan Strait on July 19th, 2022 with the Chinese military following and monitoring its transit; after which China claims the United States 'hyped' the transit up publicly and slammed the US as a 'maker of security risks'. Read Full Article

New York National Guard Deploying To Train Ukrainian Soldiers - The New York National Guard are deploying to train Ukrainian soldiers. 140 troops Syracuse-situated 27th Infantry Brigade Combat squad deployed to Germany on Friday to assist Ukrainian military members.

The service members will reconstitute 160 Army National Guard from Florida from the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Task Force Gator; who are included in the Joint Multinational Training Group mission in Ukraine.

These soldiers have been instructing Ukrainian personnel at the Combat Training Center Yavoriv near Lviv in westernmost Ukraine since November of 2021.

The troops from team Gator were ordered to exit Ukraine for Germany in February of 2022 before Russia's invasion. The Gator team is the primary instructor for Ukrainian forces in Germany and other locations.

The New York team will prepare at Fort Bliss in Texas before situating in Germany. It is anticipated they will relieve the Gator team in September, according to American Military News.

New York's National Guard delivered 220 soldiers to Ukraine in 2017 for a 10-month training cycle involving Ukrainian forces in Yavoriv. That squad was accompanied by the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station; but included service personnel from all over New York.

The Joint Multinational Training Group has continually provided instruction and consultation to Ukrainian armed forces since 2015. The Army National Guard unit conflict affiliates supply direct support to the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine operation in 9-month revolutions as a factor for the army’s rotational guideline.

Some of the other countries that have participated in the JMTG-U missions while at Yavoriv are the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland.

- Alert Put Out By Matt Pepple

Ukrainian Antonov-12 Aircraft Crashes In Greece, Suspected Of Carrying Dangerous Material - A Ukrainian owned, soviet made Antonov-12 (An-12Bk) plane carrying 8 crew members is reported to have crashed in Kavala, Northern Greece while flying from Serbia to Jordan, carrying 12 tons of dangerous material. Read Full Article

Russian Offensive Intensifying Overnight Striking Odesa and Others - ODESA - The Russian offensive in Ukraine intensified overnight following instruction from Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigu announcing an intensified effort on all fronts in Ukraine to shore up military groups in the south and center. Read Full Article

Saudi Arabia Allows Israeli Aircraft To Fly Over Territory For First Time In Decades - Saudi Arabia on Friday made an announcement that it is lifting restrictions on all [Israeli] carriers, allowing them to use airspace over the country after a decades-long ban. Read Full Article

Russian Vessels Turning Off Their Transponder Trackers - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read Full Article

China Claims Two US Military Aircraft Flew Through Taiwan Strait On June 28th - China has claimed that two U.S. military aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, Jun 28th, according to the SCS Probing Initiative (SCSPI).

The SCSPI claimed that a U.S. Navy (USN) EP-3E Aries II electronic warfare and reconnaissance aircraft were "diving into the Taiwan Strait" and claimed that they were supporting the operation of a United States Navy (USN) surface ship.

The statement from the SCS Probing Initiative said "USN EP-3E #AE1D94 is diving into Taiwan Strait this morning on June 28, which is likely to support the operation of USN surface ship".

Another statement by the SCSPI on their Weibo account said that a U.S. Air Force Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft on that day had also flown through the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea as well as the Yellow Sea.

They theorized that the American aircraft had been collecting electromagnetic spectrum signals from Chinese air and sea platforms.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said that there is "no such thing as international waters" in the Taiwan Straits and said that China has sovereignty , sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the entire Taiwan Straits, and claims that vessels and aircraft passing through the straits are violating China's territorial sovereignty.

Russian Ships Spotted Transporting Grain From Ukraine To Syria - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels Carrying Grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar, reported by Reuters.

The images by Maxar showed two vessels flying the Russian flag docked in the Russian-controlled port of Sevastopol in May loaded with grain, and then the same ships days later docked in Syria with the vessel's hatches open and semi-trucks waiting to haul the grain away, according to Maxar.

Another satellite image taken in June showed another vessel being loaded with grain in Sevastopol, corroborating reports by Ukraine that Russia had been transporting grain from occupied portions of the country out of the country.

Being one of the world's breadbaskets, the Russian war in Ukraine is contributing to the grain shortage being Reported worldwide.

China Says Taiwan Strait Part Of Their EEZ, Warns US To Stay Out - CHINA - China has notified the United States that the Taiwan Strait is a part of their maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and not international waters, opposing the U.S. view that the strait is part of international waters. They have also given a warning to the U.S. to stay out of the Strait saying that they have sovereign rights over it. Read Full Article

Iran Tests New Trade Route Linking Russia To Asian Export Markets - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets.

The first shipment, which consists of wood laminate sheets weighing about 41 tons which began its departure at Saint Petersburg, Russia to the port city of Astrakhan. From there, the shipment will cross the Caspian Sea to the Iranian port of Anzali, where it will be transported by road to the port of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf. After this it will be loaded back onto a ship and transported to the Indian port of Nhava Sheva, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA.

Dariush Jamali, director of a joint-owned Iranian-Russian terminal in Astrakhan said that the initial shipment is a 'pilot' transfer in order to test the corridor.

Jamali said that the transfer is being coordinated and managed by the Iranian state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Group along with its regional offices in Russia and India, and expects that it will take 25 days.

After heavy sanctions were placed on Russia, Iran has been Iran has been wanting to revive the North-South Transit Corridor that had previously been stalled. The Times of India reports that eventually the plan will be to build a railroad that transfers goods "arriving at Iranian Caspian Sea ports to the southeastern port of Chabahar".

Marine Corps Aircraft Crashes - No Nuclear Material Onboard - A Marine Corps Aircraft has crashed, leaving four people dead and one missing in California. Contrary to initial media reports, the Naval Air Facility El Centro stated that there was no nuclear material aboard the aircraft involved in the crash.

The aircraft belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. It is not yet known what causes the aircraft to crash. The U.S. military is currently on the scene, which is near Coachella Canal Rd and Highway 78 in Imperial County, California.

The Naval Air Facility El Centro had put out the following statement on their Facebook Page: "EMERGENCY ALERT! #NAFEC has just received reports of a downed aircraft in the vicinity of Coachella Canal Road and the 78. Installation Federal Fire, and Imperial County Fire Department are responding, We have no additional details at this time. As facts become verified and available, information will be released on the base’s Facebook page. Please be patient as the installation team works through this emergency".

Another statement recently put out by El Centro stated, "We can confirm that an aircraft belonging to 3d Marine Aircraft Wing crashed near Glamis, CA. Military and civilian first responders are on site. Contrary to initial reports, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft. More information will be made available as we receive it".

Facebook page for the El Centro Naval Air Facility: The U.S. Marines have also put out a statement saying "has crashed near Glamis, CA. Military and civilian first responders are on site. Contrary to social media rumors, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft. More information will be made available as we receive it. An aircraft belonging [email protected]:"

Baby Formula Shortage May Set To Recover As Abbott Opens Back Up - The current baby formula shortage may be on the way to recovery as Abbott Laboratories opens back up for business, after their large manufacturing plant was closed down in February due to safety concerns due to contamination.

The Air Force has been delivering baby formula in an operation dubbed "Operation Fly Formula" in late May in order to try to alleviate the short supply.

Abbott had said in late May that they were planning to open within a week, and that upon reopening it would be a few months after reopening before they would be able to get their product ready to deliver so that they could meet consumer demands for their baby formula products.

In a more recent statement, Abbott said that they will be ramping up production as quickly as possible, and that new formula should be showing up on the store shelves within three weeks time. A statement said, "We will ramp production as quickly as we can while meeting all requirements".

U.S. Navy Jet Fighter Pilot Killed After Crashing In Southern California - A U.S. Navy jet pilot has been killed after crashing a an F/A-18E Super Hornet jet in a desert in Southern California, near Trona. The jet was based at the Naval Air Station Lemoore and crashed at about 2:30 p.m in Bernardino County, according to a statement by the Navy.

There were no deaths or casualties on the ground as a result of the crash, which is located around 236 miles southeast of the Lemoore Air Station.

World Only Has 10-Week Supply Of Wheat Left, Expert Tells UN - A food insecurity expert has told the United Nations Security Council that the world only has a 10-week supply of wheat left stored, and that global food insecurity has now reached levels that hasn't been seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Read Full Article

Air Force C-17 Delivers 78,000 Pounds Of Baby Formula Amid Shortage - An Air Force C-17 plane delivered 78,000 pounds of baby formula to the Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis on Sunday, May 22nd 2022 amidst a recent shortage. Read more

USS Harry S. Truman Under NATO Command Once Again - The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, along with other United States naval vessels have come under NATO command once again for Neptune Shield Drills in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas.

The drills were announced by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on May 17th and places the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Mediterranean Sea, the USS Kearsarge amphibious ready group in the Baltic Sea, and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit under NATO operational control to the end of May.

Neptune Shield is the third exercise, in a series of exercises involving the United States and NATO allies.

Kirby stated that "This activity increases the pace and flexibility of command and control of US naval and amphibious forces between Sixth Fleet the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, operating in the Mediterranean Sea, USS Kearsarge amphibious ready group that’s operating in the Baltic Sea, along with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit".

United States Deploys B-52 Bombers To The United Kingdom - The United States has deployed B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bombers belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota to the United Kingdom. Read more

Russia Travel Advisory Now Level 4: Do Not Travel - The U.S. Embassy in Russia has put out a travel advisory for Russia saying that the advisory level is at: Level 4: Do Not Travel, for reasons including 'harassment against U.S. citizens, harassment by Russian government security officials as well as the 'arbitrary enforcement of local law' and 'increased tensions along the border of Ukraine'. Advisories Page

The U.S. Embassy says that Russian officials have "unreasonably delayed U.S. consular assistance to detained U.S. citizens and have arrested U.S. citizens on spurious charges, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and have convicted them in secret trials and/or without presenting evidence. Click here for the full text of the Travel Advisory, for Russia".

If you do decide to visit Russia anyway, the U.S. Embassy advises to "Read the country information page. Familiarize yourself with information on what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you overseas".

Additionally, it advises Americans to "Carry proper Identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Russian visa. If you are detained, ask the police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy or Consulate immediately".

For assistance: U.S. Embassy Moscow: Bolshoy Deviatinsky Pereulok No. 8 Moscow 121099, Russian Federation. Telephone: +(7) (495) 728-5000 or +(7) (495) 728-5577. Email: [email protected]

U.S. Department of State – Consular Affairs: Tel.: +1 (888)-407-4747 or +1 (202)-501-4444.

Government Report Indicates As Many AS 9,000 Americans Left In Afghanistan - A new report by the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations released an exhaustive report in February, 2022 about the evacuation from Afghanistan on August 31st, 2021 indicates that 9,000 of Americans were left behind in Afghanistan, as opposed to the estimate of 100 to 150 that had been released to the public. Read more

US And NATO Aircraft Intercept Russian Military Planes Over North Atlantic - United States and NATO fighter jets, which included British and Norwegian aircraft intercepted Russian planes over the North Atlantic on Thursday according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

A day before the interception on Thursday, Norwegian planes identified and intercepted Russian aircraft in the High North which was announced in a different NATO release. CNN says that the interceptions show that Russia is testing its boundaries with Europe in the air, one the land and in the sea.

Wednesday, and alert from the Norwegian Control and Reporting Center at Sørreisa stated that Russian planes "were detected flying out of the Kola Peninsula". The Kola Peninsula shares land mass with Finland.

Norwegian F-35 jets then "launched over the Finnmark coast," the release said. They identified "and shadowed a Russian A-50 Mainstay aircraft" and then returned to their base.

After the incident "the Russian group of aircraft divided up, some returning to Russian airspace while others continued south into the North Atlantic" the release stated.

Pentagon Announces Troops Being Sent To Poland, High Alert For Deployment To Germany And Romania - The Pentagon has confirmed troops from the 82nd Airborne Division are being sent to Poland in the next few days while others are on high alert for deployment to Germany and Romania.

Russia also made an announcement stating that a squadron of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets completed a 5,000 mile trip across 11 time zones from their base in the Sea of Japan to Belarus.

US Marine Corps Ban Amphibious Vehicles From Water Permanently - The US Marine Corps have permanently banned all amphibious vehicles from the water, including deploying or training in water after an amphibious vehicle sank in San Diego last year. The decision was made even though the Marine Corps has stated that they believe such vehicles are still 'safe and effective'.

Major Jim Stenger stated "The Marine Corps stands by the efficacy of the recommendations that came from the multiple investigations into the AAV mishap from the summer of 2020, and with those recommendations implemented and sustained, the AAV is a safe and effective vehicle for amphibious operations".

"That said, given the current state of the amphibious vehicle program (the program that manages both AAVs and ACVs), the Commandant of the Marine Corps has decided the AAV will no longer serve as part of regularly scheduled deployments or train in the water during military exercises".

USTRANSCOM: Since August 14th 116,700 Evacuated From Afghanistan - USTRANSCOM: Since August 14th there have been about 116,700 people evacuated from Afghanistan. Since the end of July we have re-located about 122,300 people.

TRANSCOM Commander Vows To Ramp Up One Of Largest Airlift Operations Ever - The commander of the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) has vowed to ramp up one of the largest airlift operations ever as the U.S. Military coordinates evacuation flights out of Afghanistan in order to meet the August 31st deadline which the Taliban have called their "red line".

Army General Stephen Lyons, the commander of TRANSCOM said on Monday, "I’m very, very confident that we’ll sustain that effort, and improve that effort, to be honest with you. My commitment is to ensure that airlift is never the constraint in this operation.".

At a Pentagon briefing Lyons said that the U.S. Military has "well over 200 aircraft" assigned to Afghanistan at the moment, which includes C-17 transport jets, KC-46 Pegasus and KC-10 tanker aircraft to refuel the cargo planes on the long trips.

Lyons talked about how tired the aircrew are, "I won’t lie to you, they’re tired. They’re probably exhausted in some cases. "I know that the leaders from time to time are pulling crews out to make sure we don’t have safety issues, but they are motivated, they are fired up, and they are committed to complete this mission".

The airlifts won't be scaling back in the last week of August according to Lyons, as he vowed to stay "razor-focused on clearing the Kabul International Airport of every evacuee that can move.

"We’d never want to leave Kabul airport on an empty plane, or even a partially full plane, if we can avoid it. We’re filling the aircraft to about 400, 450 passengers [on the floor seated]."