Two 
Air Force Reserve Command HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crews from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla., rescued a boater Oct. 2 off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla. The Reserve crews were called to assist after Coast Guard, Navy, and sheriff’s office personnel failed to find the boater during the night. Missing for 18 hours, the boater was hypothermic and clinging to a capsized pleasure boat 15 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean when the Reservists found him. Four fellow passengers had swum to shore. The pararescuemen entered the water and pulled the boater aboard one of the helicopters and administered medical treatment while transporting him to a nearby hospital.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.