Three airmen died Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi in Helmand province, Afghanistan, when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device, announced the Defense Department. Killed were: TSgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, Mich.; SrA. Bryan R. Bell, 23, of Erie, Pa.; and A1C Matthew R. Seidler, 24, of Westminster, Md. Schwartz was assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Bell was a member of the 2nd CES at Barksdale AFB, La. Seidler’s home unit was the 21st CES at Peterson AFB, Colo.
The Air Force is leaning toward a less-sophisticated autonomous aircraft in the second increment of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the services chief futurist said. He also suggested that the next increment of CCA may be air-launched, a la the "Rapid Dragon" experiments conducted by the service in recent years.