Inside the Air Force highlights

By Courtney Albon / March 23, 2018 at 10:15 AM

Some must-reads from this week's Inside the Air Force:

1. The Air Force is studying whether Lockheed Martin's U-2 can fly until 2100, about five decades longer than its current expected service life, according to Susan Thornton, director for information dominance programs in the service's acquisition branch.

Full Story: Air Force studying whether U-2 can keep flying until 2100

2. The Air Force is shifting research and development money in its fiscal year 2019 budget request to support "game-changing" directed-energy efforts, newly prioritizing an experimentation campaign set to begin this fall.

Full Story: USAF boosts directed-energy experiment funds, prepares for first tests

3. As the Air Force and Boeing work toward the first KC-46 tanker deliveries later this year, the service expects a full-rate production decision will slip past the current estimate of May 2020.

Full Story: USAF eyes risk to future KC-46 FRPD; Boeing focused on first deliveries

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