Air Combat Command boss Gen. John Corley has appointed Brig. Gen. Mark Barrett, commander of the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va., to head the accident investigation board looking into the fatal B-52 crash July 21 off the coast of Guam. The B-52 had deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La. According to a July 25 statement from Langley, Barrett, as president of the board, must offer an opinion as to the cause of the crash that claimed the lives of six airmen.
While the Air Force is keeping a seemingly optimistic outlook about the future of its MH-139 Grey Wolf fleet, despite problems receiving FAA certification, another of the service’s helicopter programs is being prematurely curtailed—and officials are already considering what might come next.