Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins AFB, Ga., has formed a new unit to undertake a five-year effort to completely rewire 122 F-15C/D Eagles and then do the same work on the F-15E Strike Eagles, probably lasting another five years, according to a Jan. 19 release. Officials expect the rewire team, ultimately comprising 73 current technicians and 47 new hires, to handle seven aircraft at a time, taking about 72 to 77 days per F-15. The initial team began work in November 2009 and currently has four fighters undergoing rewiring. According to Keith Gilstrap, the rewire flight chief, the insulation on the F-15s has turned brittle over time and causes shorts, significantly increasing field repair time. He said that the rewire work “is really going to save millions of dollars; it’s going to save an untold amount of manhours out in the field, in troubleshooting and repair.” (Robins report by Wayne Crenshaw)
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.