The Arizona Air National Guard has activated the 214th Reconnaissance Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., culminating a two-year effort to incorporate the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle into Arizona ANG operations, reports Capt. Gabe Johnson. Airmen of the new unit actually began flying MQ-1 Predator in combat operations over Southwest Asia in July, operating the UAVs remotely from ground stations in Tucson. The group plans to complete construction of permanent ground control facility at Davis-Monthan in 2009 and hangar facilities at Ft. Huachuca in 2011. Arizona ANG commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Shira, calls the effort just the beginning. He said: “There are things we can do with this airplane that we haven’t even thought of yet. This is the future.”
B-21 Raider First Flight Now Postponed to 2023
May 20, 2022
The Air Force says the B-21 Raider won't make its first flight until 2023; about a six-month delay from the last official estimates. No reason was given for the delay. While other programs have recently chalked up schedule slips to supply chain and labor shortages, the Air Force has said…