Two C-17s arrived at Dover AFB, Del., Aug. 9, carrying the remains of the service members killed in the Aug. 6 helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Air Force Undersecretary Erin Conaton, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Philip Breedlove, and CMSAF James Roy paid their respects along with President Obama and other military leaders during the dignified transfer. About 90 family members also attended the ceremony, according to press reports. The Pentagon has launched an investigation into the CH-47 Chinook crash that resulted in the death of 30 US service members and eight Afghans. Three airmen were reported to be among the casualties. The Defense Department has not released an official list of the fallen, but family members have identified some in interviews. KY 3 News of Springfield, Mo., reported that TSgt. John W. Brown, an Air Force pararescueman, was one of the victims. The Pennsylvania York Dispatch reported that Daniel Zerbe was another one of the airmen killed. Zerbe joined the Air Force after he graduated from high school in 2001, according to the paper.
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.