The Air Force has decided it can save money and time by removing the parachutes from KC-135 aircraft, known for their safe flying record, according to officials with Air Force Reserve Command’s 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell AFB, Kan. The decision will save the cost of buying and maintaining parachutes and training dollars and time. In 20 years of flying the KC-135, said Col. Clay Childs, 931st ARG deputy commander, said he has never considered using a parachute. He also flies civilian airliners, which don’t have parachutes. According to boom operator MSgt. John Austin, “If the plane is under control, you are going to stay with it; if it’s out of control, you’re not going to be able to get to the parachute anyway.” (931st ARG report by TSgt. Jason Schaap)
Lockheed Martin projects more than a billion dollars of losses on a classified program, but company officials said April 23 they are confident it will turn profitable by 2028 and become a "franchise" system in the U.S. military.