The 601st Air and Space Operations Center at Tyndall AFB, Fla., recently hosted a first-of-its-kind virtual tour of its operations floor for students at Collinsville Middle School in Collinsville, Okla. The tour began with a welcome video introducing the class to the AOC’s mission, followed by a live tour where students were able to interact with AOC members, according to a July 3 Tyndall release. It was the first such tour for any of the Air Force’s AOCs, said Col. Randy Spear, 601st AOC commander. “We are living in an age where [quick response] codes and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are a part of our everyday vernacular. Virtual tours via the Internet just seemed like a natural progression and a very effective way to tell our story,” he said. Sixth grade teacher Kathy Prickett said the virtual tour was “an awesome experience” that she hopes to repeat again next year. (Tyndall report by Capt. Jared Scott)
CCA’s AI Pilots Step into the Spotlight
March 9, 2026
Just one year ago, Collaborative Combat Aircraft took center stage as then-Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin designated the two competing jets prototypes as the first unmanned fighters in Air Force history: General Atomics’ YFQ-42A and Anduril Industries’ YFQ-44A. Twelve months later, it’s the autonomy software that’s flying those aircraft garnering the attention. Autonomy software, more than hardware, may prove the most valuable and enduring element of the CCA program.