Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
Scientists at the Human Effectiveness Directorate of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) are exploring interfaces that will allow unmanned aerial vehicle "managers" to control up to four - and possibly more - UAVs simultaneously. The task of supervising multiple UAVs, without actually piloting them, will involve a mixture of traditional piloting skills and new skills, according to Maj. Mark Draper, program manager for AFRL's SIRUS (Synthetic Interface Research for UAV Systems) facility.
The Aging Aircraft Integrated Product Team (AAIPT) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., is developing a number of new weapons in the fight against aircraft corrosion - a problem that costs the Navy more than a billion dollars a year. These technologies include corrosion removal brushes that don't allow the user to damage the underlying surface, as well as networks of embedded sensors that could enable non-invasive inspections.
Poland is considering purchasing 44 F-16 Block 50/52 fighters from the U.S. Air Force, with the option of buying or leasing 12 additional F-16As and four F-16Bs - one of several international offers Poland is considering for bringing its Air Force up to NATO standards. "The Polish government's schedule for the aircraft selection calls for 'technical and tactical' discussions to be held throughout the month of July," U.S. Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Almarah Belk told The DAILY.
