Air Force Reserve Command’s 911th Airlift Wing christened a new $8.5 million base lodging facility in conjunction with a wing change-of-command at Pittsburgh ARS, Pa. The 50-room, three-story dormitory will house Reservists coming from across the region for drill, in addition to visiting contractors and Defense Department civilians, said wing officials. Targeted for closure as part of Air Force cost cutting next fiscal year, Pittsburgh faces stiff “headwinds,” Col. Craig Peters told Reservists after assuming command of the wing on May 6, reported the Pittsburgh Tribune. “The big thing is to try to keep morale going strong” as Congress and the Air Force hammer out the installation’s eventual fate, added Peters. Unit officials hope that the new energy-efficient lodging will help tip the scales in favor of keeping the base open, according to the newspaper. (Pittsburgh photo caption by TSgt. Ralph Van Houtem)
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.