Is it possible to harness the energy from sunlight and heat to power military aircraft? Scientists from four universities will team up to investigate and answer that question with the help of a $6 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. University of Washington researchers will join colleagues from the University of Colorado, University of California at Los Angeles, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute to focus on these two non-fossil energy sources, along with vibration as a third, but less promising, source. AFOSR officials say the five-year effort will seek to advance USAF air vehicle systems, but also explore applications to spacecraft.
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…