One of the Air Force’s C-130s specially configured for fighting ground fires crashed on July 1 in the southwest corner of South Dakota during a mission dropping retardant on the White Draw fire, announced US Northern Command. The crash took place at approximately 6:00 p.m. South Dakota time, according to NORTHCOM’s release. The cause of the crash was not known and the incident is under investigation. The Rapid City Journal reported that a helicopter was able to land near the downed C-130 and took three airmen away for medical treatment.
Pentagon Task Force, FAA to Test Counter-Drone Laser
March 7, 2026
The Pentagon’s counter-drone task force announced it would conduct a high-energy laser test with the Federal Aviation Administration less than a month after the use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border prompted the FAA to shut down the airspace over El Paso, Texas.