NEW AL-MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq, Sept. 30, 2009 - The Iraqi air force officially began fully independent C-130 air operations yesterday, marking the end of the U.S. C-130 air advisory mission here.

A ceremony deactivating the U.S. Air Force's 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and marking assumption of C-130 operations, maintenance and training by the Iraqi air force's Squadron 23 formalized the milestone.