Officials inaugurated a new $6.9 million radar facility at Seymour Johnson AFB, S.C, for air traffic controllers to monitor and control flights in 5,000-square miles of airspace, base officials confirmed. The 12,000-square foot Radar Approach Control facility is the first part of a three-stage construction project to house the RAPCON, airfield operations, and transient alert in a new complex, according to a Jan. 13 release. The base has undertaken several major infrastructure projects including a major runway renovation completed last September, and construction of a new control tower slated to begin next year, base spokesman SSgt. Charles Broadway told the Daily Report. Seymour Johnson’s RAPCON currently handles more than 80,000 flights a year, according to the release, Jan. 14.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…