US Air Combat Command Commander Gen. Adrian Spain, left, hands over command of AFCENT to Lt. Gen. Daniel Lasica, right, during a ceremony Aug. 4 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. (US Central Command photo)
WASHINGTON — Lt. Gen. Daniel Lasica on Tuesday took over as the commander of US Air Forces Central (AFCENT), placing a new leader in a high-profile role charged with overseeing American air operations in the Middle East at a crucial moment in the US war with Iran.
Lasica succeeded Lt. Gen. Derek France in a ceremony at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. France is now expected to retire after closing out his two-year stint as AFCENT’s commander, according to a press release from US Central Command.
A graduate of the US Air Force Academy and a fighter pilot by trade, Lasica most recently served as director of operations for US European Command. His nomination for the AFCENT post was confirmed by the Senate in July, a promotion that pinned a third star on him.
Lasica takes on the job at a perilous time for AFCENT. The command in recent years has surged forces to the region for intensive combat operations, most recently culminating in an overnight strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities last year and an ongoing, full-out air and missile war with Tehran launched under Operation Epic Fury.
