In today’s austere funding environment, the Air Force is trying to get savings out of a lot of corners. Air Force Materiel Command officials say the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center team at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., reclaimed in Fiscal 2004 and 2005 an estimated 42,000 aircraft parts—saving the federal government approximately $1.257 billion in the process.
MQ-9 Reapers are flying numerous orbits over Iran, gathering intelligence and taking out missile launchers in Operation Epic Fury. Yet Iran has managed to down about 10 of the armed drones, according to people familiar with the operations.