Three airmen from the 374th Medical Group at Yokota AB, Japan, have deployed to the Navy’s hospital ship, USNS Mercy, as it sets a course through Southeast Asia, giving medical aid throughout the region. The airmen will be working with Navy and Army medics, as well as members of the US Public Health Service and nongovernmental organizations. The team is set to travel to the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and East Timor. The airmen are: Capt. Shane Sims, public health deputy flight commander at Yokota; SrA. Natasha Dansby, a physical health journeyman; and A1C Blanca Gama, health service management technician.
Sikorsky is pitching a modified "U-Hawk" version of older UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopters as autonomous resupply aircraft with additional capabilities as missile or drone swarm launchers.