Air Force officials from Spangdahlem AB, Germany, say the F-16 crash on Sept. 14 was not an accident; instead it was a “controlled bailout.” Col. Darryl Roberson, commander of Spang’s 52nd Fighter Wing, told reporters that the F-16 flown by 1st Lt. Trevor Merrell, 28, developed a gear problem and Merrell planned his ejection so the fighter “ended up in the middle of a field and did not impact any buildings or hurt any people.” What caused the gear problem, “we don’t know,” said Roberson, adding, “The safety investigation board will figure that out.”
SDA’s Next Phase of Data Transport Satellites on Hold
June 30, 2025
The long-term future of one of the Space Development Agency’s two satellite constellations is on hold as officials study the options for replacing a planned “data transport layer” with one or more commercial solutions. President Trump’s proposed 2026 defense budget...