The 1st Air Force Air and Space Operations Center at Tyndall AFB, Fla., has undergone many upgrades since 9/11, speeding up the process of identifying aircraft entering the US and flying within the country. One prime addition are radios that enable operators to contact all FAA and military agencies in a matter of minutes, said MSgt. Lynn Boop, superintendent of standards and evaluations for NORAD’S Southeast Air Defense, managed by the largely all-Air National Guard 1st Air Force. Additionally, an FAA representative sits on site. By centrally locating the necessary agencies in one place, officials say the AOC can track, locate, and intercept a suspicious aircraft within minutes.
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.
