Northrop Grumman has shown off to the Air Force its new KillerBee low-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, which the company says will provide surveillance and force protection for military bases, shipping lanes, borders, or convoys. The demonstration took place at the Air Force’s UAV battlelab at Creech AFB, Nev., where lab official Lt. Col. Douglas Larson expressed amazement at “how quickly it climbed to altitude.” Larson believes the low-observable UAV could “carry a lot more payload” and “could be used for several Air Force missions.”
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…