On Friday, in addition to several aircraft basing announcements (see above), USAF issued a candidate list to host MQ-1 and MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft ground control stations: Ellsworth AFB, S.D.; Langley AFB, Va.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; and Whiteman AFB, Mo. Communities now have the opportunity to participate in the environmental impact analysis process, moving toward a final basing announcement in June. There was no indication whether the sites would be operated wholly or in part by active duty or reserve components. (Ground control station release)
The Air Force wants to pump more than $12 billion over the next five years into its new affordable long-range missiles program and recently asked industry to push the flights of some of those munitions beyond 1,200 miles.