The last US combat personnel serving in Iraq departed that nation on Dec. 18, 2011, ending the phased withdrawal of US forces after a war and subsequent stability operation that began there in March 2003. See our coverage of the event: Last Troops out of Iraq and Last US Military Flight Leaves Iraq. (See also: The Last Days in Iraq from Air Force Magazine’s March 2012 issue.)
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.