T
he Air Force last week reprised—after a fashion—a 1938 event that reshaped airpower. Three B-52 bombers on Aug. 24 flew approximately 1,600 miles to intercept a ship—the US Navy’s 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, a maritime prepositioning ship, much like the 1938 flight of a B-17 that intercepted the Rex, an Italian steamship. The present-day mission was designed with the same purpose in mind—to showcase the versatility and strike capabilities of the Air Force over any terrain. (Read more in this first-hand account by Air Force Magazine’s Adam Hebert.)
The Air Force wants a new, affordable, air-launched standoff cruise missile ready to field in 2033. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center announced April 6 it will hold an industry day event to conduct market research on the Standoff Attack Weapon, or SoAW, on June 17 at Eglin Air…