The 433rd Airlift Wing at JBSA-Lackland, Texas, became the Air Force’s first and only Reserve wing to receive the C-5M last week. The Super Galaxy that touched down June 17, dubbed the City of San Antonio, is the first of nine the Alamo Wing will receive by late 2018, according to a 433rd AW release. Col. Thomas Smith, the 433rd AW’s commander, said the upgraded airlifter ensure his unit’s “ability to provide reliable, rapid global mobility.” The Air Force is upgrading a total of 52 legacy C-5s under the combined Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program and Avionic Modernization Program. The success of the upgrades has led Air Mobility Command to consider similar upgrades to its other aircraft, including the C-17 and C-130.
The B-21 Raider stealth bomber was recently flown, for the first time, by an operational pilot as part of its flight test process, the Air Force said June 11. And a top Pentagon official said the move to bring operational testing into the B-21 process earlier than normal shows the…