A half century later, an Air Force Minuteman II motor functioned like new. In October, Air Force crews conducted a static fire live test of a 50-year-old Minuteman II motor. The test set a new record for oldest motor successfully tested, besting the previous record by about four years, according to an Air Force news release. While the motor is no longer operational, it can be used for space launches and as targets for Missile Defense Agency tests. The successful test proved the old motors are ready to fly for another year.
The Air Force on March 12 awarded contract modifications worth a combined $2.4 billion to Boeing to procure an undisclosed number of E-7 Wedgetail as part of the program's engineering and manufacturing development phase and continue work on the airborne battle management aircraft’s radar.