The 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group at Cannon AFB, N.M., is the recipient of one of the Defense Secretary’s 2013 field-level maintenance awards, according to a Pentagon release. The group was the sole Air Force unit recognized this year in the annual program that recognizes outstanding achievements in weapon system and military equipment maintenance. The 27th SOMXG was a winner in the large category for field-level units, states the Sept. 27 release. The group is responsible for flight-line and backshop maintenance for AC-130s, MC-130Js, CV-22Bs, and MQ-1 and MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft. Group members will receive the award during a ceremony in the Pentagon on Oct. 30. (See also our coverage of the Air Force’s 2012 winners.)
An Air Force F-16 pilot designed a collapsible ladder that weighs just six pounds and folds into the unused cockpit map case.