Engineers and technicians at the Arnold Engineering and Development Center in Tennessee have finished aerodynamic tests on a two-percent model of the blended-wing-body concept aircraft in the center’s 16-foot transonic wind tunnel. AEDC journalist Philip Lorenz III reports that the tests were used to evaluate the BWB flight characteristics at higher Mach numbers than it underwent earlier this year at NASA’s Langley facility in Virginia. The Air Force Research Lab is working with NASA and Boeing to develop the unmanned BWB and expects to begin flight testing a test vehicle dubbed X-48B at Edwards AFB, Calif., later this year. Boeing began ground tests at Edwards with the X-48B last fall and expected to begin flight tests earlier this year. AFRL’s interest is in developing a potential large capacity aerial refueling or cargo aircraft.
F-15E Aviator Missing in Iran Rescued by US Forces
April 5, 2026
The second crew member of the F-15E shot down April 3 has been rescued from Iran. U.S. forces recovered the aviator alive and all American forces involved in the operation are believed to be safe, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.