Air Force Research Lab engineers, together with Webcore Technologies Inc., of Dayton, Ohio, have developed new lightweight, composite airfield matting that holds the promise of speeding the deployment of aircraft to forward locations at reduced costs. The new matting system weighs 36 percent less than the extruded aluminum currently in use and has twice the operational life, says AFRL. It will allow for construction crews to expand parking aprons and connect taxiways and maintenance areas considerably faster due to its inherent lightweight, simple connection method and optimized shipping size. “The new panels are easier to connect, install and replace,” said Dean Foster, a lead project engineer with AFRL. Efforts are underway to improve upon its performance further, but several years of testing have already shown that it meets USAF’s loading and weight requirements. (AFRL report by Pete Meltzer Jr.)
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.