According to a Dec. 3 release from the Air Force Flight Standards Agency, the agency participated in testing of a new joint precision approach and landing system, which can provide landing guidance similar to the current instrument landing system—but JPALS is portable. It can fit into two backpacks and be set up in under 30 minutes. It also beats the ILS by enabling aircraft to actively avoid rough terrain and potential enemies rather than requiring a long, straight-in landing approach. (Report by Maj. Martin Towey.)
The Air Force plans to complete testing of a full-scale blended wing body cargo/tanker aircraft within four years, according to the department’s new Climate Action Plan. The demonstrator could be a prototype for a future operational mobility aircraft or family of aircraft, and the plan suggests the Air Force may…