The Miniature Air Launched Decoy under test at Eglin AFB, Fla., reached speeds up to 0.9 Mach during its first powered flight test on April 30, according to a May 23 release from the Armament Systems Center at Eglin. An F-16 launched the turbojet powered MALD, which then had no electrical power or communications provided by the F-16—a first for a GPS/Inertial Navigation System-guided weapon, reports Capt. C.J. Hale. The test team plans to begin tests with a B-52 next month.
If the Air Force is in line for a big budget bump from President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, the head of Air Combat Command said he would make aircraft spare parts his top spending priority—but cautioned that more money to buy parts won’t equal a…
