Five C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 911th Airlift Wing at Pittsburgh International Airport ARS, Pa., recently received upgraded Real Time in Cockpit tracking systems to allow for greater situational awareness and better response to potential threats. RTIC gives operators a better view of aircraft in their area, including potential live threats, and allows for better communication with other assets engaged with the mission. Preparing the C-130s and installing the new systems takes about three days, according to a press release, and the work was performed over the month of February. Airmen from the 910th Airlift Wing in Youngstown, Ohio, traveled to Pittsburgh to help out with the transition. “RTIC, and technologies like it, give us the ability to fly, fight, and win, and return safely home to repeat as necessary,” said Maj. Andrew Thompson, 758th Airlift Squadron tactics officer. “RTIC gives the aircrew an enormous increase in situational awareness and ultimately can be the difference between success and failure, life or death, during combat missions.”
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.