Firefighters assigned to the 182nd Airlift Wing of the Illinois Air National Guard helped search for survivors after a series of deadly tornados struck towns in the Midwest on Nov. 17, announced the National Guard Bureau. The hardest-hit area was Washington, Ill., just east of Peoria. At least six people died in Illinois and more than 50 were injured in the powerful storms. Ten firefighters cleared 30 homes and assisted at a secondary staging area receiving food and water, states the release. (National Guard Bureau release)
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.