The South Dakota Air National Guard’s 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls is the 2010 recipient of the National Guard Bureau’s Winston P. Wilson Trophy, wing officials announced Thursday. The award recognizes the Air Guard’s most outstanding unit operating either fighter or reconnaissance aircraft. Col. Russ Walz, the wing’s commander, said receiving the prestigious award is “strong affirmation” by Air Force leaders in the South Dakota Air Guard’s contributions to the nation’s defense. The wing has been converting from F-16 Block 30 aircraft to the newer and more advanced F-16 Block 40 configuration. The trophy is named after retired Maj. Gen. Winston Wilson, who led the NGB from 1963 to 1971 and is considered the architect of the modern ready reserve. The South Dakota Air Guard also won the trophy back in 1981, 1983, and 2007.
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…