Retired Col. Warren “Bob” Lilly, 74, died Oct. 12 in Alabama. Lilly was a rescue helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War and was shot down in 1965. He spent seven years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, alongside Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). In a statement, McCain wrote: “Bob was not only a good friend, but a real American hero. Throughout the year we spent together as prisoners in Hanoi, I was inspired by his strength and loyal patriotism.”
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…