Widows of three airmen killed in a 2003 US Air Force MH-53 Pave Low crash in Afghanistan are now suing the helicopter’s manufacturer—Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.—and two companies that provided fuel tank installation and maintenance—Lear Siegler Services Inc. and Smiths Aerospace LLC. According to the Associated Press, the widows claim the companies were negligent in producing and installing the external fuel tanks on the helicopter and failed to install a backup jettison system. Four airmen and an Army special operator were killed on Nov. 23, 2003, shortly after takeoff from Bagram AB, Afghanistan. A subsequent Air Force report showed that a compressor caused one of the two engines to stall, with the other stalling when the crew attempted an emergency landing. AP reports that Sikorsky says there have been “no red flags” about fuel tank defects and that it cannot control “possible misuse.”
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
