The survival of all 17 aboard a mammoth C-5 Galaxy that crashed yesterday near Dover AFB, Del., is “a miracle, an absolute miracle,” Lt. Col. Mark Ruse, base civil engineer, told reporters yesterday. According to the Baltimore Sun, the C-5 was hauling jet fuel bound for Kuwait. Speculation on the cause of the crash includes engine failure from bird ingestion, but base officials said that would be just one factor considered during the accident investigation. Images of the crash site show the six-story tall, almost football field-long aircraft broken into three pieces, which the aircraft is designed to do, said a base mechanic in a Delaware News Journal report with ample local color. Another News Journal article offers analysis by former C-5 pilots.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
