A USAF KC-135 refueled a Romanian F-16 for the first time last month, marking the first time the aircraft from each nation have worked together. A KC-135 and airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England, deployed to Romania earlier this year to set up joint operations for the first time with Romania’s young F-16 program. In 2014, Romania began its shift from MiG-21s to F-16s and until February solely relied on Italian refueling aircraft. With the Feb. 28 refueling, the Romanian Air Force officially became certified to refuel from USAF KC-135s, according to an Air Force release.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.