Maintenance airmen deployed from Ellsworth AFB, S.D., work hard to keep their B-1B bombers ready to deal with adversaries in the war on terror, according to journalist TSgt. Steven Wilson. Spurring the airmen on is CMSgt. Jim Sanders of Ellsworth’s 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, who regularly regales his maintainers with true tales from Army troops aided by B-1Bs. He wants to ensure they “never lose focus of why they’re here [in Southwest Asia].” Sanders also has a personal stake in bringing support to ground forces since his son serves with the 82nd Airborne.
The Air Force conducted its first successful test of the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, on May 14, snapping a streak of three consecutive failed tests and giving the beleaguered hypersonics program a much needed boost. Off the coast of Southern California, the AGM-183A ARRW separated from the wing…