The proposed Pantego wind energy project slated for 11,000 acres in eastern North Carolina has run into concerns from Air Force officials at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. That’s because the size of the wind turbines would likely harm training operations for F-15Es at the nearby Dare County Bombing Range, reported the Charlotte Observer. The rotating blades on the wind farm’s 49 turbines would be as high as 492 feet in the air, giving overflying Strike Eagles a thin margin of clearance as they train for low-level bombing, states the newspaper’s Aug. 31 report. The location of the turbines could also interfere with radar used to track Strike Eagle practice runs, according to the report. A Defense Department review panel is reportedly scheduled to meet on Sept. 10 to discuss the project, which requires federal government approval to proceed.
Promotions to the Space Force’s second highest enlisted grade, senior master sergeant, have surged to the highest level in the young service’s history, bolstering the senior NCO corps as officials plan to aggressively expand the force and especially the enlisted corps.