Air Force surgeons this week performed the service’s first robotic surgery, using a robot to successfully conduct a ventral hernia repair. The 81st Surgical Operations Squadron at Keesler AFB, Miss., used a da Vinci Xi robot to improve the mobility and range of motion in the surgery. The $2 million robot system is able to translate a surgeon’s movements more precisely, according to an Air Force release. “It made the surgery easier, visualization was much better, and the da Vinci Xi has more dexterity, which is great,” 81st MSGS general surgeon Maj. Lauren Buck said in the release. The patient was able to leave the hospital the same day as the surgery. The Defense Department has 22 of the systems, and Keesler will begin joint service training on the system next week, the release states.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.