The Air Force has presented the John L. McLucas Basic Research Award to Craig Denman, a physicist with Air Force Research Lab’s Directed Energy Directorate Laser Division at Kirtland AFB, N.M. Denman’s work with adaptive optics at the Starfire Optical Range earned him the honor.
Thunderbird F-16 Crashes in California, Pilot OK
Dec. 3, 2025
An Air Force F-16 Thunderbird crashed Dec. 3 near Death Valley, Calif., with the pilot ejecting safely. In a statement, the Thunderbirds—officially the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron—said the incident occurred at approximately 10:45 a.m. local time “during a training mission over controlled airspace in California.”

