Pacific Air Forces has consolidated its weather operations, moving the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota AB, Japan, to merge with the 17th OWS at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Officials say the new arrangement improves weather support in the Pacific region, comprising 95 million square miles. All the weather personnel are in one center, using new technology to provide forecasts and converse with Combat Weathermen serving at forward locations. As a whole, the Air Force now has seven operational weather squadrons around the world.
The B-21 Raider stealth bomber was recently flown, for the first time, by an operational pilot as part of its flight test process, the Air Force said June 11. And a top Pentagon official said the move to bring operational testing into the B-21 process earlier than normal shows the…