USAF accepts its final Predator remotely piloted aircraft, tail No. 268. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems medium-altitude RPA, originally dubbed RQ-1, progressed from first flight in July 1994 as an intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance-only asset to an MQ-1 version armed with Hellfire missiles. The Air Force continues to buy its successor, the larger, more-capable MQ-9 Reaper.
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.