An F-16 assigned to the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw AFB, S.C., collided with a Cessna 150 around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, approximately 11 miles north of Charleston, Air Combat Command spokesman Capt. A.J. Schrag told Air Force Magazine. Maj. Aaron Johnson, the F-16 pilot from the 55th Fighter Squadron, “survived the collision by ejecting from his fighter,” according to a base release. He was transported to the medical clinic at JB Charleston, S.C., “for examination and treatment if necessary,” states the release. National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson told Air Force Magazine it’s not clear how many people were aboard the Cessna, but he said it was “an unsurvivable accident.” Shaw issued a release Tuesday afternoon, saying, “Our thoughts are with the friends and family of anyone aboard the civilian aircraft.” A team of investigators is convening to determine the cause of the accident, Schrag added. (Shaw release)
While the Sentinel ICBM program writ large is undergoing a major restructure due to cost and schedule overages, prime contractor Northrop Grumman is touting progress on milestones with the missile itself.
