Two F-16Cs assigned to the District of Columbia Air National Guard’s 113th Wing collided mid-air around 11 p.m. on Aug. 1 during a routine training mission off the coast of Chincoteague, Va.. The Coast Guard recovered one pilot who safely ejected from his aircraft. The other aircraft was able to return to JB Andrews, Md. Both pilots were transferred to an Andrews medical facility—one was released and the other has since been moved to an offsite medical facility for minor injuries, states the Aug. 2 release. The cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
The Pentagon is considering ditching the Air Force’s plan to buy the E-7 Wedgetail as it looks to outsource the airborne target-tracking mission to space, defense officials indicated this week.