The Air Force issued a new request for information on Wednesday to refine its search for a future trainer aircraft to replace the 50-year-old T-38 fleet starting in 2017. Building upon the first RFI, this new solicitation requests more specific information from potential vendors. The Air Force envisions a high-performance, two-seat military jet platform as part of an advanced family of systems to train future fighter and bomber pilots. Along with the new aircraft, the training system would feature full-fidelity simulators, courseware, and other virtual/computer-based training applications. The service wants this future system capable of teaching pilots sustained high-G operations, air-refueling, night vision imaging systems operations, air-to-air intercepts, and data-link operations. The trainer aircraft itself must not be capable of all of these functions, as some could be handled in a full-fidelity simulator, the Air Force noted.
The push to secure free health insurance for members of the National Guard and Reserve regardless of duty status gained momentum in the past few days, as a bipartisan pair of Senators introduced legislation that would expand coverage and First Lady Jill Biden hosted National Guard leaders for discussions at the White…