Company pilot Robert Stanley makes the first flight of the Bell RP-63A Kingcobra, a highly unusual modification to the P-63 that allowed the aircraft to be used as a piloted target. These “Pinball” aircraft were heavily armored (even the cockpit glazing was extra thick), and gunnery students would fire “frangible” bullets made of lead and plastic at these aircraft in flight.
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
