A civil rescue helicopter crew called for help from the 55th Rescue Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., when it couldn’t reach a stranded and injured teenage hiker. The airmen were preparing for a night training sortie when they got the call and responded within an hour to the rescue area, where an HH-60 Pave Hawk lowered a pararescue jumper. The PJ secured the teenage boy, who was at a medical center for treatment within three hours after the initial request for help, reports journalist SrA. Michael Hess.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.