A pioneer in linear programming and former USAF mathematician, Alex Orden, died Feb. 9 in Chicago at age 91. After receiving a Ph.D. in Mathematics from MIT in 1950, Orden became a member of the Air Force’s Project SCOOP, for Scientific Computation of Optimum Programs, a task force that pioneered the development of linear programming models for logistical planning. Task force leader G.B. Dantzig cited Orden for providing a computation breakthrough in solving large logistics movement and operations scheduling problems of that time.
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”