The 
Air Force continues its airlift support of the French military as the US ally’s combat operations proceed against Islamist terrorists in northern Mali. As of Jan. 27, C-17 transports completed a total of 15 missions, carrying 329.5 tons of cargo and transporting 496 passengers into Mali, US Air Forces in Europe spokesman Jerry Renne told the Daily Report on Monday. The first sortie occurred on Jan. 21, with a C-17 assigned to Dover AFB, Del., delivering troops and equipment from Istres in southern France to Bamako, Mali, according to a Pentagon release on Jan. 25. French air force Maj. Eric Chabaud, chief of aircraft services at Istres, said US aircraft commanders receive the load plans for review after French personnel prepare the cargo and equipment. “It’s good for us to work together on things like this, because we want to be an asset to the operation, not a hindrance,” said Chabaud. “We have a very good relationship with the Americans here right now, and we help them any time we can,” he added. (Istres report by SSgt. Nathanael Callon)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.