Air Force and industry technicians joined forces to get two damaged B-52H bombers from Guam back to the United States for repair. Last fall, airmen discovered a crack in the rear spar terminal fitting of aircraft 61-003. This fitting is where the wing meets the aircraft’s fuselage; it supports a large percentage of the wing’s load, according to B-52 specialists at Tinker AFB, Okla. Craftsmen beefed up the area with plates so the B-52 could make the trip to Wichita, Kan., in March for more permanent repair at Boeing’s aircraft facility there. In October 2010, the second B-52, aircraft 61-039, suffered severe structural damage after catastrophic failure of its No. 5 inboard engine during takeoff. The aircraft needed a new strut before its trip to Wichita in August. Both aircraft were “107” cases, meaning they required repair beyond the capability of the expeditionary unit. (Tinker release)
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and allies and adversaries.
