The Ai
r Force is putting new 20 mm cannon rounds in the F-16s deployed to Balad AB, Iraq, improving pilot safety and reducing collateral damage. Viper pilots already have fired the new rounds, strafing an insurgent stronghold east of Baghdad, reports Air Force journalist Capt. Ken Hall. The new ammo’s aerodynamic design and “hotter load” enable the F-16s to fire at greater distances—more than a mile and a half—from targets than the old ammo.
U.S. Africa Command will soon see if a small, autonomous aircraft can evacuate casualties from austere locations during a demonstration planned for December in Morocco. Merlin, an autonomous aviation firm, announced Nov. 11 it has received a $500,000 contract from AFRICOM for the demo mission.