An F-16 fighter assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano AB, Italy, crashed Sept. 18 while on a routine high-altitude training mission. The pilot, Maj. Timothy Palmer, ejected and was undergoing medical evaluation but appeared in good condition. The aircraft crashed in a remote area northwest of the base. An accident investigation is underway.
Lockheed Martin’s proposed autonomous drone, called Vectis, is still on track to fly a prototype by the end of 2027, an official from the company’s Skunk Works division said Sept. 10, and the firm already started work on four more Vectis aircraft.


