The Ohio Air National Guard’s 178th Fighter Wing in Springfield has closed the book on its F-16 training mission by graduating the final class of Dutch F-16 pilots from its initial qualification training course. The four Dutch pilots completed the nearly nine-month course earlier this month. Col. Mike Roberts, 178th FW commander, said the Oct. 9 graduation ceremony was “a happy event” for the Dutch pilots, but was also “sad in a lot of ways” since it marked “the last time” the wing would be flying F-16s. The wing is transitioning to three new missions: operating MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft; analyzing intelligence for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and, for the interim, repairing F-16 bulkheads. Dutch F-16 pilot training is moving back to the Arizona ANG’s 162nd FW in Tucson. (Springfield report by SSgt. Tina Maddock)
The Space Force awarded three contracts for rocket launches worth up to a combined $13.68 billion on April 4—and the usual players SpaceX and United Launch Alliance have got some competition in the form of newcomer Blue Origin.