Harry Hillaker, 89, a long-time aeronautical engineer with General Dynamics who is considered to be the “father of the F-16,” died Feb. 8 at his home in Fort Worth, Tex. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Feb. 10 that Hillaker led the GD design team that worked, secretively at first, with a group of Pentagon insiders including then-Maj. John Boyd—that later became known as the “fighter mafia”—to mold a collection of ideas, theories, and concepts into what became the F-16, one of the most successful fighter programs in history. Hillaker, born in Flint, Mich., retired from GD in 1985. (For more on Hillaker’s role in the genesis of the F-16, read The Viper Revolution.)
In his first professional move since retiring from the Space Force at the end of August, former Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman will lead the board of advisors for Voyager Technologies, the firm announced Nov. 2.