B
oeing’s blended wing body X-48B flew for the first time last week, climbing to an altitude of 7,500 feet and landing after 31 minutes. It flew out of NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., on July 20, according to a Boeing release. The Air Force Research Lab is working with Boeing and NASA on the project, which the Air Force considers a potential cargo or aerial refueling platform.
The program executive officers for some of the Air Force’s largest acquisition management organizations are struggling to deal with an exodus of senior talent and experienced civilian staff, three of them told an industry conference.

