Since 1944, the Defense Department’s only organization that provides aircraft and crews to fly into the eye of hurricanes and tropical storms is the Air Force Reserve Command’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, based at Keesler AFB, Miss. Their home base damaged heavily by Hurricane Katrina, the Hurricane Hunters are flying their specially equipped WC-130J aircraft out of Dobbins ARB, Ga., to scout out, at present, Hurricane Ophelia.
The Space Force has tapped Boeing to build up to four new satellites for the critical nuclear command, control, and communications mission. The contract award, announced by Space Systems Command July 3, is valued at $2.8 billion for the first two satellites, with an option for two more, as part…