Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, was the brains behind the quick operational fielding of the new MQ-9 Reaper hunter-killer unmanned aerial vehicle. Laura McGowan reports that ASC working with Air Combat Command accelerated fielding the new UAV by two years earlier than originally planned to meet a request from then ACC commander, Gen. Ron Keys. (The Reaper began flying missions over Afghanistan last month.) ASC personnel shepherded the UAV through the Integrated System Exercise 1 to demonstrate operational readiness. The Reaper team is working through ISE 2 now in preparation for initial operational test and evaluation. Once the system completes IOT&E, it can go into full rate production.
House, Senate Unveil Competing Proposals for 2026 Budget
July 11, 2025
Lawmakers from the House and Senate laid out competing versions of the annual defense policy bill on July 11, with vastly different potential outcomes for some of the Air Force’s most embattled programs.