The elite airmen known as Ravens specially trained to protect the crews and aircraft of Air Mobility Command as they fly to hot spots around the world were the subject of an article by James Scott of The Post and Courier. Scott talked with some of the 34 Ravens based at Charleston AFB, S.C., learning that the elite security forces airmen over the 10 years of the program have yet to fire a weapon against a potential threat. Their preferred response, they say, is the diplomacy they learn along with hand-to-hand combat and varied weapons training. As we’ve reported, they often serve as guards for more than multimillion-dollar aircraft and USAF aircrews.
The Air Force plans to add external weapons pylons on the B-1B bomber, both to increase the number of aircraft that can test hypersonic missiles and expand the Lancer’s loadout as USAF transitions to the B-21 bomber.