Only Half of F-35s Available for Flight
Of the 280 operational F-35s purchased by the US and international partners, only 51 percent are currently available for flight, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office.
VADM Suggests Incentive Pay, Bonuses to Keep Pilots
VADM Robert P. Burke believes the Navy may need to offer aviation incentive pay and aviation bonuses to help retain pilots. “We continue to face challenges within some historically retention-challenged communities, particularly among aviators in specific model/type/series platforms,” Burke told Congress.
Reaper Drones Help Combat Wildfires
Remotely piloted Air Force drones were put to work to help combat the recent California wildfires. MQ-9 Reapers from the Air National Guard’s 163rd Attack Wing were put into service in Northern California.
You’re Invited to Hack the Air Force
The Air Force’s Chief Information Office will hold its Hack the Air Force exercise. The “bug bounty” program will invite participation from talent in the US and, this year, will include those from US partner-nations, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Deadliest Aircraft in Pentagon’s Arsenal?
Don’t be deceived by the appearances of the E-6 Mercury. Though the Mercury doesn’t carry any weapons of its own, it might be in a sense the deadliest aircraft operated by the Pentagon.
T-45 Training Grounded Indefinitely
The Navy has extended the grounding of all of its T-45 training jets indefinitely after a group of instructor pilots refused to fly the aircraft. The service’s engineers need to figure out what’s causing a spike in dangerous physical symptoms in pilots brought on by a drop in oxygen in the cockpit.
1st Drone Command Center Installed on Carrier
USS Carl Vinson gets first drone command center, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, based in Norfolk, VA, is next.
China Builds on Reefs in the South China Sea
China turns previously submerged coral reefs in the Spratlys archipelago into artificial islands complete with buildings, runways and wharves.
Fewer Veterans in Congress
The number of vets in Congress has steadily dropped and now the veteran lawmaker count could sink to under 100 for the first time since the 1950s.
