The last flight of the BQM-34P Firebee target drone took place last week at Tyndall AFB, Fla. The base received the BQM-34P in 1958 and flew it for more than 1,500 hours to simulate tactical threats for air-to-air combat training and weapons evaluations. It’s being replaced by the BQM-167A Skeeter. (Tyndall report by A1C Anthony Hyatt)
The dramatic and sprawling two-day operation to save the crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran on April 3 involved hundreds of personnel, dozens of aircraft—and multiple close calls.