A pilot from the 22nd Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany, ejected safely from his F-16 fighter Thursday about 10 miles north of the base, but the fighter crashed into trees and a field. The pilot was on a routine training flight. There was no immediate word about the cause of the accident, which is now under investigation.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.