USAF C-17s and C-130s and their crews are teaming up with soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to practice large-formation airdrops this week as part of Battalion Mass Tactical Week at Fort Bragg, N.C. Three C-17s and three C-130s along with aircrews from the 19th, 62nd, and 437th Airlift Wings as well as the 317th Airlift Group are are participating in the exercise, which wraps up on July 16th, according to an Air Mobility Command spokesman. The airlifters are expected to drop more than 4,700 paratroopers, four dual-row airdrop system platforms, six heavy platforms, 20 container delivery system bundles, and 52 door bundles during 96 passes. Three air mobility liaison officers integrated with the ground units will facilitate the drops.
Bell Textron has won DARPA's contest for a no-runway, high-speed drone that will prove out technologies useful for special operations forces and possibly the Air Force's Agile Combat Employment concept. Bell's design converts a tiltrotor to a jet-powered aircraft able to fly at up to 450 knots.