Northrop Grumman has flight tested the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node—an Internet-based communications relay and information server that, flying at extremely high altitude, extends the range of line-of-sight radios to relay data to airborne and surface-based units. It can even link, via satellite, to distant command centers. USAF and Northrop flew the BACN aboard a high-flying NASA WB-57 test aircraft, acting a surrogate for USAF’s RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV. Officials plan to evaluate the system further during the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment in April.
Some Guard Troops Won’t Get Paid Until Shutdown Ends
Oct. 29, 2025
The National Guard Bureau says most units are postponing drills during the shutdown, but some states are sticking to their training schedule, resulting in a patchwork of different policies and some confusion in the ranks.
