 When the 170th EFS arrived it replaced the 18th EFS which was normally based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.On top of duties over Afghanistan, the 170th FS also had to perform air interdiction missions over Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch.In the very early morning on 17 April 2002 while on deployment in Afghanistan a pilot in a two-ship formation from the 170th FS mistakenly bombed a Canadian force which was practicing live firing of its weapons near Kandahar, Afghanistan.