We
’ve already shown Boeing’s concept in DARPA’s Vulture
high-altitude, extremely long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle program. Now its two competitors, Aurora Flight Sciences and Lockheed Martin, have released artist renderings of their own designs. Aurora calls its concept Odysseus. Lockheed Martin’s aircraft is equally intriguing. All three companies won Phase 1 contracts earlier this month to commence with the design and development of their respective aircraft. DARPA wants an unmanned system that is “able to fly on station and perform its mission for five years without interruption.”
Air Force Chief of Staff Kenneth S. Wilsbach is allowing Airmen to wear unit pride T-shirts on Fridays and aircrew to wear nametags with their callsigns daily. The morale-boosting gesture is one of his first official acts as Chief and comes at a time when the Pentagon is cracking down…


