An unmanned QF-4 full-scale aerial target drone launched an air-to-ground missile earlier this month during a first-of-its-kind test with an FSAT. Airmen of Det. 1 of the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron at Holloman AFB, N.M., conducted the test, operating the QF-4 by remote control from a ground station, proving the capability to “test forward firing ordnance without risk to valuable air assets or crew members,” said Lt. Col. Joel Rush, Det. 1 commander. (49th Fighter Wing report by A1C Rachel Kocin)
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.