The Air Force and its industry partners on May 4 successfully launched the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., said officials with the 45th Space Wing. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carried the sophisticated, Lockheed Martin-built communications satellite into space. “We applaud the teamwork between our wing and all our mission partners involved in making this mission a success,” said Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton, 45th SW commander, who served as the launch decision authority. AEHF-2 joins AEHF-1 on orbit. These satellites are designed to provide secure communications to US military forces around the globe. (Cape Canaveral report by Chris Calkins)
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. 14.