A T-6A Texan II trainer aircraft landed short of the runway June 4 at Vance AFB, Okla., and was damaged. Vance officials said in a release that the one instructor pilot and one student on board exited from the aircraft without injuries. The aircraft is assigned to Vance’s 71st Flying Training Wing. The incident is being investigated. USAF lost two Texan airframes last November in a midair collision, but none of the pilots were seriously injured. In April, the Texan II became USAF’s sole platform for specialized undergraduate pilot training with the retirement of the final T-37 in that role.
Seven F-22 Raptor pilots have recently been awarded one of the military’s highest decorations for their actions during operations in the Middle East. Six of the pilots were decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer, the June 2025 strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.