P-51 pilots begin escorting U.S. bombers to European targets. Ninth Air Force begins Operation Crossbow raids against German bases where secret weapons are being developed.
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft will be operational in the late 2020s, several years before the Next-Generation Air Dominance family of systems, Air Force officials told the House Armed Services tactical aviation panel. The CCAs will first be “shooters,” then electronic warfare platforms, then sensors, in that order, they added.