SSgt. Robert Gutierrez Jr., an Air Force Special Operations Command combat controller, receives the Air Force Cross for his actions Oct. 5, 2009, in Afghanistan. During a lengthy firefight, Gutierrez accurately guided close air support at a “danger-close” range helping to decimate the enemy and allow his team to escape the kill zone without additional casualties. Even though wounded, losing more than five pints of blood, and having a burst eardrum (following close-in strafing by A-10s he directed), he continued to direct aircraft overhead, called in his own medevac, and walked himself to the landing zone.
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
