The Air Force has selected Eglin Properties LLC (Hunt Development and Dick Corp.) to develop the Emerald Coast Technology and Research Campus on Air Force property adjacent to the University of Florida’s Research Engineering Education Facility. Yet to come is an environmental impact statement, but USAF expects the privately funded venture to help establish Eglin AFB, Fla., as one of DOD’s centers of expertise for weapons armament. This would undoubtedly be a boon for the base, but awaiting final resolution is the planned move out of Eglin of its test assets.
The Pentagon could have the option to create a new combatant command devoted to unmanned and autonomous systems if a provision in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s annual defense policy bill becomes law. The legislation is one of several moves lawmakers have proposed in recent weeks to both bound and…