T
he C-17 aircrews at Hickam AFB, Hawaii rarely get to practice their multi-ship airdrop training because the Hickam airlifters are in such demand, reports TSgt. Shane Cuomo. This week the photojournalist got to cover the first four-ship training mission the 525th Airlift Squadron has been able to squeeze in this year. On any given day, the squadron has two aircraft to train with, but it needs four to best meet airdrop proficiency requirements. Maj. Matt Zehr, a 535th AS pilot, called the training “critical” for aircrew members to stay fully qualified.
Pentagon Cancels $6B GPS Ground System Contract
April 20, 2026
The Pentagon has canceled its contract with RTX to field a ground segment to manage its most capable GPS satellites, a more than 15-year effort beleaguered by software development issues and cost overages.