The Air Nation
al Guard is airdropping hay to livestock stranded by blizzard conditions out west, in a smaller-scale replay of Operation Haylift from 1949. In this effort, a Wyoming ANG C-130 began flying airdrop missions out of Pueblo, Colo., on Jan. 3, supplementing National Guard helicopters. The C-130 can hold up to eight of the one-ton hay bales, which break apart when they strike the ground. This is not a new feat for the Air Guard, which fairly routinely provides this service during severe winter storms, but few efforts would rival the 1949 operation, when numerous C-82s flew more than 125 sorties.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
