The Air Force has placed an engine test cell in Southwest Asia to enable maintainers to repair the C-130 tactical airlifter’s T56 engine and propellers. Air Force journalist SrA. Aldric Borders reports that the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron’s Centralized Intermediate Repair Facility officially opened for business last month, making it possible to eliminate the expense and time required to ship engines and props outside SWA—a real boon for the heavily used C-130s.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
