As weapons advance so must the pylons that carry and connect them to the aircraft. The 309th Commodities Maintenance Squadron at Ogden Air Logistics Center, Utah, is upgrading the pylons for F-16 fighters. The 309th maintainers remove the existing wiring harnesses and machine the pylons to accommodate the new, larger harness. They reassemble the pylon, and then perform electrical tests “to ensure everything is working as planned and finished it off with a paint job,” says Steve Morlock, 309th CMXS armament flight chief. Using a new lean process, developed by the 309th, they are turning the pylons faster by several days.
NATO Scrambles Fighter in Newest Response to Russian Drones
Sept. 16, 2025
NATO scrambled its first fighter Sept. 13 under its new plan to bolster its defenses against Russian air incursions that was put into place after an array of Russian drones flew into Polish airspace last week, the officials from the alliance’s military command said.
