That’s how Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, USAF’s top uniformed acquisition official, describes the Air Force’s new MC-12W surveillance aircraft. Speaking Tuesday at an Air Force Association-sponsored Air Force Breakfast Series presentation in Arlington, Va., Shackelford said the MC-12 features overhead streaming video capability like on MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft, but adds the capacity for signals collection that Predator lacks. Thus the analogy. The Air Force is acquiring a fleet of 37 MC-12s, based on seven modified King Air 350 airframes and 30 King Air 350 Extended Range aircraft. According to Shackelford’s briefing slides, all seven 350-based MC-12s have been delivered (six serving in Iraq, one used for training in Meridian, Miss.) as have nine 350 ER-based units (four in the war theater, one in transit, and four at Meridian) (For more from Shackelford, read What to Expect and Too Much of a Good Thing.)
Pilot Unharmed After F-22 Mishap in Georgia
May 6, 2024
The Air Force is investigating a mishap involving an F-22 fighter jet that took place at about 11:30 a.m. on May 6 at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Ga.