For the first time, the US flies airplanes directly to the Soviet Union without Soviet personnel on board as observers. The flights are part of the first humanitarian airlift to the Communist country, which earlier had refused such assistance. Over the course of eight weeks, Military Airlift Command aircraft and crews deliver more than 311 tons of relief cargo to victims of an earthquake in Yerevan, Armenia.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.