The 
last C-5A Galaxy at Westover ARB, Mass., departed the base for good en route to retirement at the Air Force’s aircraft boneyard in the Arizona desert, according to base officials. The 44-year-old airframe (aircraft No. 68-0211) left Westover on Sept. 25 for Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., states Westover’s Oct. 5 release. Nicknamed “Miss Piggy,” the massive transport was assigned to the West Virginia Air National Guard’s 167th Airlift Wing at Martinsburg, but arrived at Westover almost a year ago in preparation for its retirement, according to the release. Officials with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan said they received a total of 11 C-5As, along with three B-1B bombers and seven legacy-model C-130s, in a “retirement rush” during the last two weeks of Fiscal 2012. The Air Force wants to retire its remaining C-5A fleet, while upgrading its C-5Bs and C-5Cs to C-5M Super Galaxy standards. (Includes Westover report by MSgt. Andrew Biscoe)
Collaborative Combat Aircraft designs from Anduril and General Atomics passed their critical design reviews early in November, clearing the way for detailed production efforts to get underway, the Air Force said. How future versions will be upgraded is still under discussion.