A team at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia believes it has developed a high velocity maintenance process that will increase aircraft availability. At heart of the HVM effort is shared information—between the home station and the ALC—about each aircraft, enabling the ALC to have specific parts and equipment in place when an aircraft arrives at the ALC for programmed depot maintenance. The WRALC team plans to test its process with much-in-demand Air Force Special Operations Command C-130s, beginning in late spring or early summer 2008. If successful, the team would extend the HVM process across USAF’s entire C-130 fleet and on to other weapons systems. (Report by Lisa Matthews.)
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.