Severe Congressional funding cuts have caused DARPA to cancel its plans to pursue the Blackswift hypersonic flying test bed for the time being. Flight Global reported yesterday that the agency has said it would “not be possible” to continue the project given the Congressional decision to slash Blackswift’s $120 million funding profile in Fiscal 2009 down to $10 million. “Obviously, we are disappointed,” Steven Walker, DARPA program manager, told the magazine. DARPA’s goal for 2012 was to fly a Mach 6-capable reusable test aircraft that is powered by a combined-cycle propulsion system featuring a turbojet and supersonic combustion ramjet.
The World War I Centennial Commission officially raised the flag at the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C., with a unique salute to the early days of air power. During the April 16 ceremony, two F-22s from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley, Va., performed…