US Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command decided to restore Misawa AB, Japan, as a stop for Patriot Express, contracting with North American Airlines to fly from Seattle to Misawa, Yokota, and Iwakuni in Japan. The Misawa stop starts Oct. 5 and will eliminate the need to take a fairly expensive commercial route through Tokyo via bus—a 12-hour trip—train or domestic flight. USTRANSCOM and AMC eliminated a number of Patriot Express flights, which provide both official and, when possible, space available seats, during a major restructuring of the program several years ago. (Misawa report by SrA. Stefanie Torres)
The Air Force plans to add external weapons pylons on the B-1B bomber, both to increase the number of aircraft that can test hypersonic missiles and expand the Lancer’s loadout as USAF transitions to the B-21 bomber.