Innovation in Action: Airman-Built 3D Model Strengthens Air Traffic Controller Training

March 20, 2026 | By Air Force Senior Airman Imani West, 19th Airlift Wing |

Airmen assigned to the 19th Operations Support Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, are taking a creative approach to training the next generation of air traffic controllers by developing a detailed 3D model that visually represents aircraft patterns and procedures used at the installation.

 
The innovation demonstrates how airmen are leveraging emerging technologies and creative problem-solving to improve training and operational readiness. 
 
The immersive training tool was designed and produced by Air Force Airman Jay Perry, 19th OSS air traffic control apprentice. It provides a scale representation of the base's airspace and flight patterns. The project was inspired by an idea from Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ryan Sanders, 19th OSS noncommissioned officer in charge of training and standardization. 
 
Traditional training methods often rely on instructors holding model aircraft or cards to demonstrate aircraft positions and movements. While effective, the approach can make it difficult for visual and tactile learners to fully imagine spacing, conflict points and maneuvering patterns.

 
"This model allows us to physically show where aircraft may break in the pattern, extend downwind or maneuver differently," Sanders said. "It helps airmen understand when conflict may exist or when it doesn't, based on the flight path." 
 
The model re-creates the installation's airspace layout at scale and uses magnets to hold miniature aircraft in place, allowing instructors to demonstrate real-world scenarios more accurately. The enhanced visualization helps trainees better understand aircraft spacing, sequencing and potential conflict areas. 
 
Perry used a 3D modeling program to build his creation, but he made it by manipulating shapes to create detailed designs. After designing each component digitally, Perry prepared the parts for printing and produced them using multiple 3D printers available at the base innovation lab.

 
The process required careful planning, preparation and experimentation. 
 
"Everything started from a single block in the design software," Perry said. "Each piece had to be separated and designed in a way that it could be printed and assembled later. It might look simple when you see the final model, but a lot of thought went into making sure the supports, slopes and connections would actually work." 
 
One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the model could support its own structure at the scale required to accurately represent the airfield. The team experimented with different stand designs and angles to create a realistic yet durable layout.

 
By transforming abstract training concepts into a physical, visual model, the 19th Operations Support Squadron is helping trainees better grasp the complexities of airfield operations. This ensures controllers are better equipped to manage the skies above the base. 
 
The project also highlights a broader culture of innovation across the installation, where airmen at every level are encouraged to identify challenges and develop solutions that enhance mission effectiveness.

Joint Statement Reaffirming a Shared Commitment to Defense Industrial Resilience

March 20, 2026 |

The following text was jointly agreed upon by the 16 members of the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR): the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, and the United Kingdom following the 2nd Annual PIPIR Plenary meeting.

We, the National Armaments Directors and senior government officials of the member nations of the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), convened for our 2nd Annual Plenary meeting, virtually, on March 18, 2026, to reaffirm our commitment to accelerating defense industrial cooperation.

We reaffirmed the PIPIR Statement of Core Vision and Terms of Reference, discussed the collective challenges and opportunities to defense industrial cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and endorsed the 2026 roadmap for PIPIR workstream initiatives.

We also endorsed the accession of Thailand and the United Kingdom to PIPIR, welcoming them as the 15th and 16th members, respectively, to join our Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic partnership. Collectively, we are committed to strengthening defense industrial resilience to promote the continued regional security, economic security, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.

We discussed current capacity shortfalls and resilience challenges in the global defense industrial base that impede our ability to meet combined operational needs but acknowledged positive momentum through PIPIR in addressing barriers to increased armaments cooperation. We further reaffirmed our commitment to exploring avenues across the Partnership to strengthen defense industrial base integration to de-risk supply chains, expand forward sustainment capacity, remove policy and regulatory impediments to cooperation, and accelerate production of key systems and components.

We discussed the significant progress that has been achieved through PIPIR since its establishment, recalling the announcement of two marquee initiatives by the U.S. Secretary of War at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025, including the development of a forward repair capability for P-8 radar systems in Australia and the development of standards for small unmanned aerial systems across the Indo-Pacific. We agreed to the following next steps for these marquee initiatives:

• Expanding the scope of the regional sustainment hub in Australia to support additional P-8 operators in the Indo-Pacific, a project recently announced at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025.
• Endorsing four Statements of Intent to foster cooperation on small unmanned aerial systems' battery and small motor development through executing an industry survey and sharing results among participants, pursuing reciprocal standards and a common procurement policy, and identifying efforts towards a future battery project.

We agreed that PIPIR continues to make tangible progress toward addressing barriers and accelerating defense industrial collaboration to promote a stronger, more resilient, more integrated, defense industrial base. We also reaffirmed the importance of multilateral frameworks such as PIPIR to help facilitate the rapid delivery of relevant capabilities to our combined defense forces. In doing so, we took measure of the progress made since our last plenary on these efforts:

• Building on the success of the Multinational Armaments Resilience Seminar, the first Indo-Pacific focused multinational armaments cooperation course, to be executed on a yearly basis, and co-hosted by the Department of War's Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies and rotating PIPIR members.
• Continuing our campaign of learning through multiple industrial base-focused subject-matter expert exchanges, tabletop exercises, and collaborative learning events.

We also discussed and endorsed several new lines of effort that will strengthen the Partnership by creating more opportunities for collaboration and will advance defense industrial resilience in the Indo-Pacific and globally:

• Committing to a project that will explore feasibility and opportunity to establish a forward-deployed F100/F110 engine repair hub in Japan, which, will support regional sustainment for F-15 and F-16 platforms operated by the United States Air Force and partner nations.
• Progressing the effort to establish a CH-47 Chinook T-55 engine repair hub in the Republic of Korea, a project recently announced at the US-ROK Logistics Cooperations Committee in July 2025.
• Establishment of a new Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) production initiative between the US and Japan, chaired by Japan.
• Expanding energetics and munitions development by assessing the potential for interest and funding for the 30mm-by-173mm ammunition load, assemble, and pack line effort with the Philippines.
• Supporting regional co-production opportunities by exploring modular UAV projects across many mission sets.
• Instituting new tools and techniques, such as a project development guide, that provides a methodology to identify and assess future collaborations resulting in enhanced project efficiency and efficacy, information sharing, and transparency among governments, industry partners, and stakeholders.

Air Force Research Laboratory Tests Draper Liquid Rocket Engine in Flight

March 17, 2026 | By Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs Office |

The Air Force Research Laboratory and an aerospace technology and defense systems contractor recently flew the Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator, powered by the Draper liquid rocket engine, achieving supersonic speeds and demonstrating key concepts of operations. This flight is an innovative step toward advancing capabilities that strengthen deterrence and provide rapid global strike options.

"This project proves that we can transform and leverage our acquisition models to rapidly deliver critical technology advancements to deter and win in a future conflict," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, AFRL commander and Air Force technology executive officer. "We are not just building a single missile; we are forging a new path toward a cost-effective, mass-producible deterrent for the nation."

This sentiment is echoed by the contractor's leaders, who emphasized their shared commitment to the ARMD program's speed and cost-effectiveness. This project represents a new paradigm for accelerating research and development of critical defense technologies, rooted in fast-paced, effective public-private partnerships.

"This flight proves that you can get a vehicle with a safe, storable and throttleable liquid engine in the air quickly and affordably," said Chris Spagnoletti, contractor CEO. "We went from contract to flight-ready of an all-up round and propulsion system in just eight months."

This demonstration of the Draper liquid rocket engine leverages several years of the contractor work on their Hadley liquid rocket engine, along with an enduring public-private partnership with AFRL to develop these new rocket propulsion technologies.

"ARMD represents a key milestone in our efforts to develop revolutionary, affordable and scalable liquid rocket engine technologies to win the wars of tomorrow," said Javier Urzay, AFRL rocket propulsion division chief.

Mastering the First Breath: Navy Medicine Research Prepares Warfighters Against Cold's Lethal Shock

March 11, 2026 | By Matthew Reyes, Naval Health Research Center |

The first plunge into icy water is a shock to the system. For a warfighter operating in extreme cold weather environments, a fall into near-freezing seas isn't a mishap; it's a life-or-death battle that is won or lost in the first few minutes. 
 
This research mission took Naval Health Research Center scientists to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California, where they spent six days doing research in the harsh Sierra Nevada winter. Working in air temperatures hovering at 19 degrees and with water temperatures at 34 degrees, the team focused on equipping U.S. warfighters with practical survival skills for extreme conditions.

The project, funded by the Office of Naval Research, is directly aimed at improving survival rates during a mass casualty incident at sea, such as a torpedoed ship in arctic waters. Researchers from the center's environmental and thermal physiology team are investigating cold-environment survival to understand and combat a silent killer known as the "cold shock response," a leading threat in sudden cold exposure scenarios.  
 
"Most people's first worry is hypothermia, but in order to actually become hypothermic, you have to survive the cold shock response," said Rebecca Weller, a research physiologist with the research center. "The initial moments in cold water are often the most dangerous, and how you control your breathing in those moments can determine whether you survive." 
 
That initial, involuntary gasp for air upon hitting cold water, the rapid and uncontrolled breathing, and the spike in heart rate and blood pressure are all hallmarks of the cold shock response — a series of immediate bodily reactions to sudden cold exposure. This physiological response can quickly lead to aspirating water, cognitive impairment and drowning. Research suggests that this response is the cause of death in up to 60% of accidental cold-water immersions, long before the body's core temperature begins to drop. 

 
The environmental and thermal physiology team, led by principal investigator Doug Jones, partnered with the warfare training center to conduct a vital study during its cold-weather medicine course. Students, mostly Navy hospital corpsmen, enrolled in the course prepared for the rigors of cold weather operations and also had the opportunity to volunteer as subjects in an experiment designed to find a simple, effective defense against cold shock. 
 
The day before a planned cold-water immersion, study participants underwent baseline testing for stress, anxiety and information recall. They also received specialized training in slow-paced breathing. 
 
The next morning, volunteers were fitted with an array of sophisticated data-collection devices — heart rate straps and core and skin temperature monitors. The most critical piece of equipment, however, was a spirometer, which measures the volume and rate of breathing.

The goal was to see if a simple breathing exercise could override the body's instinct to panic. 
 
"We are trying to develop a technique and strategy that can limit the stress associated with accidental cold-water immersion," Jones said. 
 
The research center is currently analyzing data from these tests. Based on a preliminary review of the data, the group trained in slow-paced breathing appears to have demonstrated a lower, more controlled breathing rate during the immersion than the untrained control group. They were actively using the technique to fight the body's involuntary response. 
 
The team is now analyzing how controlled breathing impacts the cold shock response and operational performance, such as completion of the nine-line task to determine if a patient needs to be evacuated. During the immersion, participants were tasked with performing the test — a standard military procedure that requires clear thinking and precise communication. The ability to perform such a task under the intense physiological stress of cold shock can mean the difference between life and death for a service member. 

 
Ultimately, the findings from this research will provide evidence-based data to validate and refine training protocols across the U.S. military. The ultimate goal is to provide the military with evidence-based tools that can be quickly taught to any service member and integrated into official guidance like the Navy's Cold Weather Handbook for Surface Ships, to add strategies for surviving the initial moments of cold-water immersion. 
 
"How you control your breathing in those initial moments of cold-water immersion can determine whether you survive it," Weller emphasized. "By practicing these techniques in a controlled environment, service members may gain the confidence and muscle memory to execute them when it counts." 
 
These findings will educate a new generation of warfighters — more prepared, more adaptable and more lethal — armed with the knowledge to conquer one of nature's most unforgiving environments. They are proving that in the face of the cold's deadly gasp, the most powerful weapon can be a single, controlled breath. 
 
Through a wide range of research, including its cold-water immersion studies, the research center develops strategies that enable the warfighter to overcome the many health and performance-related challenges they face in the course of their duties. This research provides the Navy, Marine Corps and joint forces with the opportunity to develop tools to maintain cognitive function and enhance survivability in the most extreme maritime environments.

IATF-401, FAA to Conduct Advanced Counter-Drone Laser Test at White Sands Missile Range

March 6, 2026 |

Joint Interagency Task Force 401 and the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct a high-energy laser test on March 7-8, 2026, to continue advancing the safe use of counter-unmanned aerial systems in the United States.

This test is part of a long-term, multi-year partnership between the Department of War and the FAA to ensure counter-drone technologies are safely integrated into the national airspace. The plan has been jointly developed by a wide range of stakeholders, with support from the White House Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty. Key partners supporting the JIATF-401 laser test include the FAA, White Sands Missile Range, the Army Program Acquisition Executive-Fires, Northern Command, and Joint Task Force Southern Border.

"This is a critical step in making sure our warfighters have the most advanced tools to defend the homeland," said U.S. Army Brigadier General Matt Ross, Director of JIATF-401. "By working hand-in-hand with the FAA and our interagency partners, we are ensuring that these cutting-edge capabilities are safe, effective, and ready to protect Americans from emerging drone threats. Our measure of success is to quickly deliver state-of-the-art C-UAS capability to the warfighter, and this test furthers that mission."

The test is a continuation of extensive testing conducted by the DoW over the last few decades. Earlier tests provided valuable data, further refining the system's capabilities and advancing the collaborative effort between DoW and the FAA. This upcoming event will specifically address FAA safety concerns while gathering data about the laser’s material effects on aircraft surrogates, validating the functionality of automated safety shut-off systems, and informing analyses for aircrew eye safety.

To maximize collaboration, representatives from the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the New Mexico National Guard will be in attendance. The test underscores an ongoing unified federal effort to counter threats posed by unmanned aerial systems while maintaining the sovereignty and safety of U.S. airspace.

U.S. Space Force Strengthens Partnerships at 45th Cobra Gold

March 2, 2026 | By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Giovanni Sims, 8th Fighter Wing |

Space Force guardians are participating in the 45th iteration of Cobra Gold for the first time in the exercise's history, marking a milestone for the service and further integrating space as a warfighting domain within one of the Indo-Pacific's largest multinational exercises, Feb. 23 to March 6.

The presence of guardians at Cobra Gold signals the continued evolution of the Space Force. It reinforces the U.S.-Thai alliance by enhancing multinational crisis response, mission effectiveness and capability across all domains.

"This marks a significant milestone for the United States Space Force," said Space Force Maj. Jonathan Brydie, a military exchange program embed assigned to the Joint Force Space Component, Headquarters Joint Operations Command. "As our service continues to mature, our participation demonstrates that we can support real-world operations and major multinational exercises simultaneously. It reinforces that space is a warfighting domain. Integrating space from the outset ensures the joint force operates with synchronized effects across air, land, maritime, cyber and space."

As the Air Force's newest military service, the Space Force was established to organize, train and equip forces to protect the United States and allied interests in, from and to space. Its integration into Cobra Gold reflects both operational necessity and the evolving character of warfare.

"Integrating space into Cobra Gold enhances the exercise by educating Indo-Pacific partners on the operational role of the space domain during conflict," said Space Force Capt. Nicholas Braga, Space Forces Korea chief of future operations. "It also opens dialogue on how nations can responsibly develop and integrate space capabilities that contribute to regional stability."

In support of Cobra Gold, guardians contributed expertise in space domain awareness, defensive and offensive space operations and operational-level space planning required to maintain space superiority. Rather than operating in isolation, Space Force personnel are embedded alongside air, land, maritime and cyber planners to integrate space effects into decision-making processes.

"We are ensuring space is a deliberate consideration at every decision point," Braga said. "Branch plans and contingency options are developed with space effects integrated from the beginning, giving commanders greater clarity and flexibility in achieving mission objectives."

The operational importance of space domain awareness was a central theme throughout the exercise.

"Most command and control systems rely on satellites and space-enabled networks," Brydie said. "Space superiority is now as vital as air superiority in modern conflict. Maintaining awareness of the space environment allows us to protect those systems and ensure the joint force can operate without disruption."

Beyond operational integration, Cobra Gold provided an opportunity for the Space Force to deepen relationships with regional allies actively developing their own space competencies.

"It has been a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with partner nations," Braga said. "The United States is not the only space-capable entity in this region. Working alongside the Republic of Korea and other allies strengthens trilateral and multilateral integration. The cohesion built here enhances deterrence and reinforces our collective posture across Indo-Pacom."

Coalition partners emphasize shared responsibility in the space domain is essential to regional stability.

"Participating in Cobra Gold demonstrates a shared commitment to the responsible and secure use of space," said Royal Australian Air Force Staff Officer Mark Wilson, wing commander of Joint Force Space Component, Headquarters Joint Operations Command. "It shows we are willing and capable of sharing information and operational experience to achieve common security objectives."

"For the U.S. Space Force, Cobra Gold 2026 serves as both a milestone and platform to demonstrate the service's ability to integrate seamlessly within a complex multinational environment while delivering operational advantage to the joint force," Braga said.

From space domain awareness to operational-level planning, guardians ensured space effects were integrated at every stage of execution reinforcing deterrence, strengthening alliances and advancing the service's role as an essential component of joint and coalition operations in the Indo-Pacific.

HoloLens Enables Remote Joint Inspection of Cargo

Feb. 26, 2026 | By Courtesy story, 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing |

A joint inspection is an important part of preparing cargo for transport on military aircraft. Nearly every day, there are aerial porters in the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, spread across multiple areas of responsibility, who inspect pallets of equipment and supplies to confirm proper packaging, weight, balance and preparation, ensuring the cargo can be safely transported via aircraft.

It's an efficient process, but what if these airmen couldn't inspect the cargo in person? 
 
That's the question that the 725th Air Mobility Squadron has been trying to answer since 2021. The HoloLens, an augmented reality headset enabling aerial port experts to aid and guide technicians by looking through their eyes, could be the solution.  

The squadron airmen have demonstrated how the augmented reality capability can be used to increase rapid global mobility in a variety of maintenance, air transportation, and command and control scenarios, increasing the speed of maneuver to sustain joint force lethality across the competition continuum.
 
Stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, the 724th Air Mobility Squadron regularly partners with users in the region to prepare their cargo for forward deployment. They received an opportunity to work with the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, to perform a joint inspection remotely using the HoloLens. To best test the utility of the device, the 724th AMS worked alongside the 725th AMS, the operations wings' foremost authority on the technology.

 
"We spent a year working with the manufacturer and experimenting with different add-ons to figure out the right software and process we needed to get to where we are today," said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Sewejkis, 725th AMS superintendent. "Now it's plug and play. We can connect [from] anywhere just using the HoloLens, a Wi-Fi hotspot and a laptop." 
 
From a conference room back in Aviano, Air Force Airman 1st Class Delaney Boehm, a 724th AMS aircraft services specialist, guided the personnel in Vicenza through the joint inspection, circling areas on her screen that she wanted them to focus on. 
 
"It was a great experience that showcased our squadrons' innovative approach to conducting routine inspections and allowed a technician in the field to work hands-free while receiving real-time guidance from a remote expert," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Devin Robert, 725th AMS noncommissioned officer in charge of network operations. "The ability to highlight individual objects in the technician's field of view goes beyond the capabilities of a traditional video call." 
 
Although the remote inspection was just a proof of concept, it demonstrated flexibility and ease of use to joint partners and to the headquarters Air Mobility Command staff.

"There is a push in the air transportation career field to explore new ways of accomplishing our mission, irrespective of geographical constraints," said Air Force Lt. Col. Katherine Wilson, 724th AMS commander. "We tried the HoloLens alongside a traditional video call, and the immersive hands-free component of the HoloLens experience streamlined communication and overall speed of the inspection." 
 
Leveraging this new technology, the 725th AMS is continuing to refine processes and enabling mission execution despite the geographical separation within the operations wing.