Dozens of Navy helicopters evacuated from the Florida coast to Maxwell AFB, Ala., on Aug. 20 in an effort to avoid the destruction of Tropical Storm Fay that has ravaged the sunshine state. Thirty-three SH-60B helicopters and their crews assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 42 based at Naval Station Mayport, near Jacksonville, are using Maxwell as an evacuation center under a standing agreement between the two bases. “Rarely will a hurricane reach this far inland, so that makes Maxwell an ideal spot to divert resources and personnel,” said Cmdr. Chris Fallia, executive officer of the helicopter unit. And Maxwell is glad to assist, said Col. Tyrone Woodyard, 42nd Air Base Wing vice commander. (Maxwell report by Christine Harrison)
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force has unveiled a new electronic warfare drone designed to fly with fighter jets into contested airspace, including alongside its fleet of F-35s. RAF says it plans to develop models that draw on the U.S. Air Force’s approach of mating unmanned systems with crewed platforms.