Air Force and industry teams at 10 bases recently completed structural modifications to correct cracking found on 83 of the Air Force’s two-seat F-16Ds, officials announced. All 157 of the Air Force’s F-16Ds were grounded following the discovery of canopy sill cracks on four aircraft at Luke AFB, Ariz., last July. “Our initial focus was at Luke because that was where they had the most grounded aircraft,” F-16 System Program Office Materiels Lead Lt. Col. Chris Goad said in a July 28 release. Modifications to the bulk of Luke’s fleet were completed last December. “Once we got the proper tools, we were able to implement work among five depot teams,” supported by Air National Guard and 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group personnel from Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., Goad said. Technicians completed modifications to the final F-16D in late April, according to the release.
The Air Force demonstrated that it can operate the remotely-piloted MQ-9 Reaper in long-range flights in the Pacific using limited ground support gear and non-specialist ground personnel. The demonstration provided a boost for its agile combat employment concept, the service said Dec. 7. The deployment required only seven people and…