Finally there

Just to put an end, for now, on the drawn-out-drama that was involved in getting German Tornado recce jets to Afghanistan, the six aircraft are now at Mazar-e-Sharif. The 51st recce wing (not squadron, as I’d erroneously said previously) detachment should be operational mid-month. Meanwhile, my Aviation Week colleague in Italy reports, the Italians are sending two Predator-A unmanned aircraft to Afghanistan — at least someone will be providing real-time intelligence, since the German Tornados can’t do that.