The North Dakota and Louisiana Congressional delegations got together Tuesday to further strategize how they can ensure the Air Force does not pursue its plan to retire 38 B-52 bombers. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) spoke with the Minot (N.D.) Daily News just before going in to the Capitol Hill meeting, saying the group wants to add funding to the appropriations legislation being taken up in May. Conrad and friends already have secured a Senate amendment to the 2007 defense budget request that would add nearly $2 billion over the next five years, specifically to maintain all 94 B-52s. That has to be half the battle.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…