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.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.