USAF crews from the 75th Airlift Squadron and the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron launch two C-9 Nightingales within one hour of alert to provide aeromedical evacuation for survivors of the Oct. 12 terrorist attack on the USS Cole docked at Aden, Yemen. The crews, including Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT), receive the 2000 Mackay Trophy.
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.