California Air National MQ-9s have flown the length of the entire state, helping to coordinate responses to more than 24 fires that have been burning in the past two months. As of Sept. 28, there have been 7,982 total wildfires, burning more than 3.6 million acres and damaging or destroying 7,630 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. To help with the response, the 163rd Attack Wing at times had three Reapers in the air, flying more than 70 sorties and more than 1,000 mission hours, according to a release.

For the next four weeks, USAF Airmen and F-16s and Bulgarian air force fighter aircraft will fly NATO air patrols over Bulgaria to protect the nation’s airspace, improve the Air Force’s interoperability with its counterparts there, and serve as a show “of Allied solidarity,” NATO and USAF announced Sept. 28. “Approximately 140 personnel and six F-16s from the 555th Fighter Squadron deployed in support of the Allied mission along with various units from Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Airmen assigned to the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany,” a 31st Fighter Wing release stated. The participating F-16s will serve as a quick-response force for aircraft who fall into distress or defy international flying rules and advance toward NATO nations’ sovereign airspace, a NATO Allied Air Command release about the mission explained. This tasking is part of the alliance’s increased “air policing measures in the region,” which it implemented in reaction to Russian activity in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea, NATO noted.

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s robotic pilot has returned to the sky, following a mishap that grounded the system last year. The AFRL Center for Rapid Innovation and DZYNE Technologies Incorporated’s ROBOPilot flew for about 2.2 hours on Sept. 24 at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The ROBOpilot system is added to the cockpit of a regular plane, with the system grabbing the yoke, flipping switches, and pushing rudders and brakes like a human pilot while also using sensors such as GPS and an Inertial Measurement Unit for situational awareness. ROBOPilot first flew in August 2019 on a Cessna 206, but was damaged during a rough landing on a later flight. A Safety Investigation Board convened to look at the incident, briefing AFRL and DZYNE, who then “analyzed the findings and incorporated the recommendations to ensure the success of the latest test,” said Marc Owens, the AFRL Center for Rapid Innovation’s program manager for ROBOpilot, in a release.

The COVID-19 pandemic inspired the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., to pioneer a new kind of USAF birthday celebration: a drive-in Air Force ball. The idea to transition the ball from an in-person party to a drive-in celebration stemmed from unique challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus crisis, said Master Sgt. Joshua Braswell, 509th Security Forces Squadron Antiterrorism & Force Protection Planner who served on the event’s planning committee. The event also featured a family-friendly atmosphere, relaxed dress code, and free admission.

On March 23, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual Nuclear Deterrence Series event featuring Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller. At a time when nuclear modernization programs are accelerating around the world, proposals to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal are at the forefront of debates over defense spending. Miller will share his insights into the prospects for U.S. nuclear modernization programs and the value of nuclear deterrence in today's competitive security environment. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event.