U.S., U.K. Demonstrate Partnership During First On-Orbit Operation

Sept. 19, 2025 | By U.S. Space Command |

U.S. Space Command and United Kingdom Space Command conducted their first coordinated satellite maneuver from Sept. 4 to 12, demonstrating the alliance's readiness to conduct dynamic, responsible and integrated space operations.

 
The Rendezvous Proximity Operation, delivered under Multinational Force – Operation Olympic Defender, repositioned a U.S. satellite to examine a U.K. satellite and assure our ally of its nominal operation in orbit. 
 
"This operation was a first of its kind for U.K. Space Command and represents a significant increase in operational capability," said Royal Air Force Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, U.K. Space Command commander. "Expertly executed with U.S. Space Command, I could not be more pleased or proud of the rapid progress we are making with our allies in Multinational Force – Operation Olympic Defender. We are now, with our allies, conducting advanced orbital operations to protect and defend our shared national and military interests in space." 
 
The long-standing interoperability between the U.K. and the U.S. extends into space through continuous security cooperation, information sharing and exercises. The U.K. was also among the first nations to join the Spacecom-led coalition alongside the U.S., with the purpose of unifying combined space operations, should they ever be needed in conflict. The coordinated on-orbit maneuver marks the continued progress in maturing the Olympic Defender cooperation framework. 

 
"This coordinated maneuver between two allies validated the interoperability that's foundational to our collective defense," said Space Force Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Forces-Space and Spacecom's Combined Joint Force Space Component Command. "The confirmation of the [Multinational Force]'s combined military might on-orbit delivers a credible deterrent in the increasingly contested space domain." 
 
Schiess said space is a team sport, and no nation can accomplish all that is required to meet its objectives there alone. Cooperation between the U.S. and the U.K. provides a more comprehensive understanding of the congested and complex space environment, as well as opportunities to maintain readiness for major engagements, and ensures safe and responsible space operations. 
 
"The success of this multidomain operation represents the warfighting advantage realized by employing our capabilities and expertise as one unified team," said Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of Spacecom and Olympic Defender. "Though our opponents may attempt to replicate the value of such cooperation, our partnerships are uniquely defined by not only the mutual goal of deterring aggression but a shared pledge to fight and win shoulder to shoulder, if necessary."

From MREs to Supplements: How Experts Feed Troops' Evolving Nutritional Needs

Sept. 15, 2025 | By Katie Lange, Pentagon News |

Many comparisons are made between the diet and nutritional needs of service members and those of serious athletes. However, service members face unique constraints and challenges in their operational environments that render those needs very different.  

For instance, athletes know the times and specific details of their events, for which they can prepare. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardians and Marines? Not so much.  

Service members need to be ready at a moment's notice for anything that comes their way. They operate in extreme cold, extreme heat and at high altitudes, and they might be doing so with very little sleep for prolonged periods of time. All these factors can create unique stressors that call for varying nutritional requirements.  

 

At the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center in Natick, Massachusetts, experts in the War Department Combat Feeding Division develop rations and packaging to support warfighters and stay ahead of their constantly shifting nutritional needs. From garrison-sized meals served at mess halls to single-serving rations eaten in the field, these experts research and engineer food for the entire department.  

They also engineer new, energy-efficient ways to field food, from finding new kitchen equipment for submarines to creating portable gear for expeditionary units, or even packaging food into tubes for pilots flying at the edge of space. Other CFD experts are working on ways to protect food and water from contamination. 

The CFD works closely with the Military Nutrition Division at the nearby Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. Together, both divisions are focused on optimizing warfighter performance, improving their recovery and promoting overall health through nutrition.  

Every year, each service reports its operational challenges related to field feeding to the DOW Combat Feeding Research and Engineering Program, which turns those challenges into research and engineering projects for the CFD to address. Those projects require expert knowledge in various fields, from dietitians and physiologists to biologists and engineers.  

The process usually begins at the MND, which focuses more on the physiological side of the research. There, experts study various nutrients and food formulations to see what effects they have on the warfighter. 

Analyzing Ingredients for Warfighter Benefit 

Currently, MND and CFD researchers are studying nutrients such as tart cherry and essential amino acids, which may improve muscle recovery and endurance. But before scientists can make a product from those nutrients, they need to know how the body uses them first.  

At the MND's metabolic kitchen, nutrition experts plan diets for soldier volunteers by enhancing prototype ration products with nutrients that are being studied.  

"We can feed [them] in a very controlled setting to ensure that no other variables impact our findings," explained Army Maj. Alan Dawson, the division's military deputy chief.  

They also study warfighters in training or out in the field to evaluate their environmental stressors. "We're seeing how nutrition affects stress, their ability to exercise, their tolerance to a lack of sleep or extreme temperatures," explained Army Sgt. Noah Carrier, a medical lab technician with a molecular biology degree. 

Carrier is one of about 60 soldiers stationed within the detachment. He's only been there for a few months, but so far, he said it's been a unique experience.  

"The human race's relationship with food is the oldest thing that we have, but they're still discovering something new about how we can optimize performance and keep people sustained in stressful conditions," he said. "I've already learned stuff that blows my mind that these people are researching."  

The studies help the MND define warfighter-specific nutrition requirements and recommendations. The CFD then takes that information to develop rations for the warfighter to enjoy in the field.   

From Studies to Sustenance 

Natick's food scientists look for ways to make warfighter rations energy- and nutrient-dense to help avoid negative energy balance — when a person can't eat enough to maintain physical or cognitive performance, explained MND chief Dr. James McClung. It's an issue associated with poor performance and an increased risk of injury. 

One ration created to fit this need was the Performance Readiness Bar, which is currently available to service members undergoing initial entry training. Researchers discovered that if they packed a ration bar with supplemental calcium and vitamin D, new recruits could eat one a day in the evening to optimize bone health and prevent injuries that had been reported among basic trainees. 

"The body tends to rebuild during sleep … so it's really important to provide nutrients prior to this time," McClung said. "The Performance Readiness Bar … delivers protein, energy and other nutrients so they can be absorbed and utilized overnight." 

Once a ration prototype is created, its various components — from proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to moisture content and pH levels — are quickly analyzed at an in-house lab. That ensures their levels meet DOW-wide Army Regulation 40-25 requirements, which are different than nutritional needs for civilians and can often depend on environmental factors.  

"In the heat, the demand for electrolytes may be greater. Cold oftentimes elicits shivering, and shivering requires energy and may cause one to require differing levels of macronutrients," explained McClung. He said altitude can also affect levels of nutrients such as carbohydrates and iron.  

Analysts from the CFD also determine how nutrients can degrade over time in storage.  

"We want to make sure … the warfighter gets the full package of what they need to perform optimally," explained Lauren O'Connor, the branch chief for the division's Food Engineering and Analysis Team.  

It's All About the Taste 

Nutrition is important. How food tastes, however, is an even bigger factor.  

"It's not nutrition if they don't eat it. Rations need to taste good to encourage warfighters to consume them," explained Julie McNiff, branch chief of the CFD's Functional Food and Nutrition Intervention Branch. 

With that in mind, the CFD houses a sensory lab staffed by trained civilian panelists who evaluate replenishment rations from industry partners every few months. They make sure shelf-life requirements are met and look at specifications such as flavor, odor, appearance and texture. 

"They've got a very extensive lexicon of terms to describe the food, so while you or I might say sour, they have about 10 different words that mean sour," said Dr. Erin Gaffney-Stomberg, division chief of the CFD. "It's a very highly scientific process." 

Once a round of testing is complete, reports are collected to determine if the items meet requirements. "If this is deemed acceptable, then it becomes our new product standard," said Jill Bates, a registered dietitian who runs the sensory evaluation lab.  

Bates said they never know what items they might get from day to day, adding, "Sometimes it's eggs, or sometimes it's candy and hot sauce."  

While about 10 to 12 trained panelists will do a round of testing, soldiers stationed at the Natick base will also get to do some evaluations, strictly to see if they like the product. 

"After we've done all our technical testing ... we use the soldiers and the warfighters just for acceptance," Bates said. "Their opinion … is really the ultimate goal of why we're here." 

"Every single product that is considered for insertion into an operational ration platform needs to be warfighter tested and approved," Gaffney-Stomberg said.  

The CFD also partners closely with the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support to ensure rations meet DLA's standards before industry partners can begin to mass produce them.  

The Importance of Shelf Stability 

Aside from just packing rations with the right amounts of calories, protein and carbohydrates, those rations also have to withstand various environmental conditions.  

For example, meals ready to eat, known as MREs, and other rations are stored in a variety of places throughout the world for a certain amount of time before they're rotated out. The CFD has to make sure any items they create can be shelf-stable for three years at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and for six months at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Active ingredients in those rations have to be retained during that time. 

"The typical consumer market doesn't have these requirements," Gaffney-Stomberg said. 

"[We spend] quite a bit of time … looking at how you can actually stabilize those active ingredients so that they're still active by the time they might get out into the field, which could be potentially years after it's been processed," McNiff said. 

As an example, McNiff said the tart cherry research proved difficult for shelf stability because some of the active ingredients are susceptible to degradation in high heat and storage.  

"One of our food scientists worked for about two years to see if she could make it shelf-stable and get that ingredient retained," McNiff said. "The good news is, she has." 

Popular probiotics have also been a challenge for shelf-life requirements, so researchers in the CFD's Integrative Physiology Lab are currently testing an inactivated form of them called postbiotics to see if they're more stable but still result in beneficial effects. To do so, biologists are using an intestinal organoid — "mini guts," as they call it — that responds like human intestines. So far, they've seen positive effects on how human-like cells respond to postbiotics.  

"We are one of the few laboratories — if not the only laboratory in the [Department of War] — doing this type of work," explained research biologist Greg Weber, who leads the Integrative Physiology Lab.   

Once products are developed, project officers will focus on one particular ration platform – whether it be the MRE, the close combat assault ration, group rations or supplemental bars — and constantly look to update products according to consumer trends, new products on the market or what warfighters like to consume.  

Packaging: A Key Component 

Gaffney-Stomberg said a common misconception is that military rations are full of preservatives and chemicals to maintain shelf stability. That's not true.  

"A big part of the shelf stability is actually the packaging itself," she said, explaining that the packaging is engineered to allow very little water and oxygen to permeate its barriers, helping to preserve food longer and keep it safe from potential contaminants.  

When it comes to the logistics of transporting food in combat, service members often carry all their sustenance with them. That weight adds up, as does leftover packaging waste after the meals have been eaten. CFD engineers aim to reduce those burdens by finding new materials to make packaging as small and light as possible.  

"From a food chemistry standpoint, there's a lot of challenge to get all of that nutrition in the smallest footprint, be shelf-stable and taste good," Gaffney-Stomberg said.  

It's a challenge both divisions have accepted to optimize warfighter performance and keep our troops healthy for any fight that comes their way.  

Air Force Announces Arrival of Second B-21 Test Aircraft

Sept. 15, 2025 |Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs |

The Department of the Air Force announced the arrival of the second B-21 Raider flight test aircraft, Sept. 11, at Edwards Air Force Base, California, enhancing the Air Force's capacity to conduct comprehensive testing and sustainment training. 

 
The addition of the second aircraft expands the service's testing capabilities beyond initial flight performance checks, enabling progression into critical mission systems and weapons integration testing phases. This advancement marks a step toward operational readiness of the nation's sixth-generation stealth bomber. 
 
"With the arrival of the second B-21 Raider, our flight test campaign gains substantial momentum," said Air Force Secretary Troy Meink. "We can now expedite critical evaluations of mission systems and weapons capabilities, directly supporting the strategic deterrence and combat effectiveness envisioned for this aircraft." 

 
The presence of multiple test aircraft provides Air Force maintainers hands-on experience in managing simultaneous aircraft sustainment operations, testing the effectiveness of maintenance tools, technical data and the logistical processes that will support future operational squadrons. 
 
"The addition of a second B-21 to the flight test program accelerates the path to fielding," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. "By having more assets in the test environment, we [can] bring this capability to our warfighters faster, demonstrating the urgency with which we're tackling modernization." 

 
Concurrent with the expanded flight-testing effort, fiscal year 2026 will see the launch of extensive military construction projects at all three designated B-21 main operating bases. Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, the first base set to receive operational B-21 aircraft, is already progressing on numerous infrastructure projects to ensure readiness when the aircraft arrive. 

 
"The B-21 Raider program represents a cornerstone of our strategic nuclear modernization," Allvin said. "The concurrent efforts in testing, sustainment, preparation and infrastructure investments clearly illustrate our commitment to providing unmatched capabilities to deter and defeat threats well into the future."

Breathing Trouble at 30,000 Feet: The Growing Crisis of Airplane Fume Events

Toxic Air at Altitude

Flying has long been considered one of the safest modes of travel, but a growing body of evidence suggests that what passengers and crew are breathing in the cabin may not always be harmless. So-called “fume events” — incidents where smoke, odors, or chemical vapors enter an aircraft cabin — are rising at an alarming rate. Once considered rare anomalies, they are now being reported with increasing frequency across U.S. airlines.

These events occur when engine oil, hydraulic fluid, or other chemicals seep into the cabin air supply through a system known as bleed air. While most flights are uneventful, the rise in reports and the persistence of health complaints from crew members raise questions about how safe the air truly is at 30,000 feet.

How Fume Events Happen

Most commercial aircraft pressurize their cabins by using bleed air — compressed air diverted from the engines or auxiliary power units. When seals degrade or mechanical systems falter, oil, fuel, or other contaminants can enter that system. This can lead to visible smoke or strange odors in the cabin. In some cases, the contamination is invisible but still present, making detection difficult.

Newer aircraft, like the Boeing 787, avoid the traditional bleed-air design, using electrically driven compressors to supply cabin air. However, the majority of the global fleet still depends on the older system, making the potential for contamination widespread.

A Rising Trend

In 2014, there were roughly 12 reported fume events per million flights in the United States. By 2024, that number had jumped to more than 100 per million. Analyses of more than a million federal Service Difficulty Reports show that the true number is likely even higher, due to inconsistent reporting practices across airlines.

Some aircraft families are disproportionately represented in these reports, particularly the Airbus A320 series, which makes up a significant share of U.S. domestic fleets. Other aircraft, including the Boeing 737, appear less frequently in the data.

Who Is Affected?

While passengers may only encounter such an event once or twice in a lifetime of flying, airline crew members are often exposed multiple times across their careers. Flight attendants and pilots describe symptoms ranging from coughing, dizziness, nausea, and headaches to longer-term neurological issues like memory lapses and vision disturbances.

Scientific studies back up these concerns. Research has documented chemical residues in the blood and urine of aircrew following self-reported fume events, including compounds associated with engine oil and hydraulic fluids. Ultrafine particles, often invisible, can linger in cabins long after a leak occurs, leaving crew and passengers vulnerable.

The Problem of Underreporting

Experts agree that underreporting is one of the biggest obstacles to addressing the issue. Not all airlines consistently log fume events, and crews may be hesitant to file formal reports if they believe nothing will change. In many cases, symptoms are attributed to fatigue, jet lag, or unrelated illness.

Compounding the problem is the lack of sensors on most aircraft. Detection is still largely dependent on human senses — whether a crew member smells something unusual or sees haze in the cabin. Without real-time monitoring, regulators and airlines struggle to quantify the actual scale of exposure.

Regulatory Response

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledges the issue and has commissioned studies into cabin air quality. Research centers, including the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, have conducted tests to measure bleed-air contaminants and assess possible health risks. Proposals for installing onboard chemical sensors have been discussed, but widespread adoption has not yet occurred.

Meanwhile, industry leaders emphasize that air travel remains overwhelmingly safe. They note that while the number of reported incidents has grown, severe health impacts are still considered rare. For critics, however, the rising numbers and growing list of crew complaints are reason enough for more urgent reform.

What Can Be Done

Possible solutions range from updating maintenance standards to installing detection sensors and rethinking the reliance on bleed-air systems in future aircraft design. In the short term, experts urge better education for passengers and crew: recognizing symptoms, documenting exposure, and ensuring reports are filed after suspected events.

For flight attendants and pilots, the push is more personal. Many describe careers marked by repeated exposure and persistent health challenges. For them, the conversation is not about rare anomalies — it is about the daily risks of breathing on the job.

Conclusion

Fume events are not just inconvenient odors or momentary discomforts. They represent a systemic challenge in aviation, blending mechanical design, regulatory oversight, and human health. As the number of reports climbs, so too does the pressure on airlines and regulators to confront the problem head-on.

Air travel may remain statistically safe, but the hidden hazards of contaminated cabin air are becoming harder to ignore.

References

Anderson, M. E., & McNeely, E. (2025). Still running on fumes—Contaminated cabin air and health consequences. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 67(6), 415–423. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000003167

Burdon, J., Winder, C., & Griffiths, R. (2023). Health consequences of exposure to aircraft contaminated air. Environmental Health, 22(1), 78. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-023-00987-8

Federal Aviation Administration. (2015). Aircraft cabin bleed air contaminants: A review. U.S. Department of Transportation.

National Transportation Library. (2024). Smoke, odors, fumes events in U.S. airliners. U.S. Department of Transportation.

Wall Street Journal. (2024). What you need to know about fume events on airplanes. Wall Street Journal.

Wall Street Journal. (2024). Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes. Wall Street Journal.

Department of War Awards $39.6 Million to Expand Solid Rocket Motor Industrial Base

 Sept. 12, 2025 |

The Department of War today announced three awards totaling $39.6 million to expand the solid rocket motor (SRM) industrial base via Title III of the Defense Production Act (DPA). The awardees are Materials Resources LLC (MRL) in Xenia, Ohio; ICF Mercantile LLC (ICF) in Warren, New Jersey; and SPARC Research LLC (SPARC) in Warrenton, Virginia. These awards support the Department of War's objectives to expand the munitions industrial base, bolster supply chain resiliency, and increase domestic production in strategic priority areas.  

"These strategic investments in our solid rocket motor industrial base are crucial to ensuring the Department of War continues to have access to the munition propulsion systems required for our national security," said Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey. "By partnering with industry through the Defense Production Act, we are strengthening the resilience of our supply chains and growing domestic manufacturing capacity that is vital to maintaining our technological edge."

Using DPA Title III funds, the three new awardees will strengthen SRM production capability by modernizing existing facilities and improving manufacturing processes:

• MRL was awarded $25.2 million to demonstrate SRM prototype production capability that will provide the Department with agile production of SRM metallic cases via additive manufacturing using MRL's scalable manufacturing cells. MRL plans to use a phased approach to demonstrate agile, horizontally scalable SRM case manufacturing. The ability to switch materials and component designs routinely and quickly is a key feature of MRL's proposed manufacturing capabilities.
• ICF was awarded $9.3 million to establish the first domestic production source of rayon filament cellulose precursor rayon, which will in turn support the production of Carbon Phenolic Ablatives used in SRM and Re-Entry Body (RB) heatshields. ICF's solution is based on Ionic Liquid (IL) technology that is an environmentally safe precursor for fiber cellulose production. This will also increase the capacity for rayon fibers and lower material costs for SRM production.
• SPARC was awarded $5.1 million to establish a dedicated and affordable supply of rocket motor components for the SRM industrial base. The components produced will support improvements to high performance propulsion systems.  

This announcement brings the total number of DPA Title III awards made to the SRM industrial base under a recent Defense Industrial Base Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (DIBC OTA) solicitation to four, for a total of $53.9 million.

These are three of 14 investments made by the DPA Purchases Office totaling $777.1 million since the beginning of fiscal year 2025. These investments are complemented by $88 million in total recipient cost shares since the beginning of FY 2025. The DPA Purchases Office is overseen by the Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) directorate in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP).  

About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP) 

The OASW(IBP) works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base enabling the warfighter, now and in the future. OASW(IBP) also utilizes a new Defense Industrial Base Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (DIBC OTA) to solicit new ideas for research or prototype project solutions for critical Supply Chain Resiliency Focus Areas. It underscores the Department's ongoing dedication to safeguarding the integrity of our crucial supply chain and furnishing our warfighters with materials and technologies promptly. To learn more about the DIBC OTA, please visit: https://www.dibconsortium.org.

BLADE Cuts Down Drones During Project Flytrap 4.0

Sept. 3, 2025 | By Timothy Rider, Army |

Soldiers assigned to the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment detected, tracked, engaged and defeated multiple drones at ranges between 500 and 800 meters using the Ballistic Low Altitude Drone Engagement system from a Stryker vehicle at the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in northeast Poland during a live-fire event for Project Flytrap 4.0 on Aug. 1. 

"Some of those [drone] threats were being flown simultaneously, so the system defeated one target then quickly targeted and defeated a second target in a matter of seconds," said David Goldstein, counter-unmanned aerial systems lead for the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. 

The Armaments Center ran the BLADE science and technology project from 2016 to 2019 to develop a capability to counter drone threats. BLADE leverages — and enhances — a system operated throughout existing Army formations, the Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station. 

As a remote system mounted on different types of Army vehicles, CROWS allows an operator to fire a weapon while remaining protected inside. Using an array of optics, a viewing screen and motorized gimbals and controls, the operator can effectively select and engage targets. 

With BLADE, a precision radar and C-UAS fire control software are integrated with CROWS hardware and software to assist operators in identifying, tracking and pointing the weapon to a continually calculated intercept point, enabling the difficult challenge of destroying enemy drones. 

Capable of functioning with numerous weapons, the BLADE/CROWS combination at Project Flytrap included an M2 .50-caliber machine gun firing multiround bursts. 

BLADE also participated in several project non-firing training scenarios using the radar for detection, tracking and other simulated defensive actions, according to Goldstein. 

Starting in late July, Project Flytrap 4.0 was the final iteration of the C-UAS training events, where soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Royal Yorkshire Regiment, United Kingdom, tested new C-UAS capabilities in combined exercises meant to develop and inform the future of anti-drone tactics and technologies. 

"Project Flytrap is part of a series of training events designed to test and refine new counter-unmanned aerial systems technologies and tactics to respond to the evolving threat of drone warfare," said Army Col. Matt Davis, transformation chief and exercise director of V Corps, Project Flytrap, during a press engagement. 

Previous Flytrap events were focused on command-and-control systems and countering small UAS sensors, Goldstein said. "We were invited to come out to the latest Flytrap with our BLADE and CNALT systems because they wanted to see more kinetic capabilities," he added. 

The CNALT software plug-in, also being developed by the Armaments Center, is an application that provides tactical fire control and visualization tools to reduce time in the kill chain — the cycle of finding and identifying targets, prioritizing and coordinating attacks. Time is critical in military operations with targets in constant motion, considering that potential targets threaten harm to friendly forces. 

Soldiers took 15 minutes on new equipment training for CNALT operations, said Marc Sanzari, chief of the Armaments Center Networked Lethality and Collaborative Autonomy Branch. During various training scenarios, CNALT successfully ingested real-time sensor data from the BLADE precision fires radar, classified unmanned aerial vehicle tracks and generated actionable engagement recommendations for BLADE and the Stryker commander. 

For BLADE, getting the components to Project Flytrap 4.0 and operational tested the abilities of engineers and technicians to meet the Army and Defense Department challenge to get new drone capabilities into the hands of soldiers quickly and with the fewest constraints. 

"Within two weeks of request, the system was installed and operational and ready for soldier touchpoint training," said Jonathan Gann, Armaments Center mechanical engineering technician specializing in autonomous weapons. 

Gann was part of an Armaments Center team that shipped the BLADE components from Picatinny Arsenal to Poland and conducted a field expedient installation of an existing CROWS on a Stryker vehicle to make it operational as a BLADE system. 

After the installation, Gann met with soldiers to discuss the tactics, techniques and procedures for BLADE operations within unit formation while stationary and on the move. He noted that soldier feedback from the live-fire event provided insights on future improvements for BLADE, but also, "it highlighted the possibilities of UAS engagement in a dynamic environment," Gann said. 

"I was able to understand the fundamental workflow for the system and gunner actions within one hour of seeing the BLADE for the first time," said Army Maj. Jared Whitaker, deputy chief G31 from V Corps, who, as a leader, observed the entirety of the drone engagements in a seat between the gunner and radar operator. 

Whitaker, who is proficient in operating CROWS, said that compared to ground engagements, there were added steps in counter-drone operations. Schooling on the radar was necessary, as was additional training to become fluid during rapid reactions while performing counter-drone scenarios. 

"I found that the ability to engage UAS using a CROWS has gone from impossible to possible with the addition of BLADE," Whitaker said. 

After achieving technology readiness level six in 2019, BLADE has participated in various C-UAS exercises and engagements, such as Project Convergence, the Maneuver Fires Integrated Exercise and Red Sands – Operation Hard Kill. 

Project Flytrap has become the latest BLADE knowledge builder. 

"The Armaments Center continues gathering insights from participating in C-UAS events and is transitioning the technology to current programs of record for near-term fielding opportunities," Goldstein said.

From Capstone to Combat Readiness: Depth-Perception System Enhances EOD Robotics

Sept. 2, 2025 | By Alexandra Broughton, 

Headquarters Air Force, Office of the Director of Civil Engineers |

What started as a school project has developed into a promising innovation for explosive ordnance disposal operations across the Defense Department.

While completing his degree in electronics engineering technology at the University of Arkansas Grantham, former Air Force Master Sgt. Daniel Trombone was challenged to solve a real-world problem within just two months. Despite limited time and resources, he turned the assignment into a functional prototype, marking the beginning of the EOD robot depth-perception system. 
 
"I was doing my senior year capstone and decided to survey my unit," Trombone recalled. "I said, 'Hey, are there any capability gaps you think can be fixed within this short timeline I have?' I ended up getting a lot of good ideas."
 
The feedback from his team highlighted a familiar challenge: difficulty gauging depth when operating EOD robots using a flat, two-dimensional video feed. Without stereoscopic vision, technicians rely on limited visual cues and often develop improvised methods, like watching shadows or attaching zip ties to grippers, to estimate distance.  

Trombone set out to design a solution that would place a fixed visual reference in the camera view, giving operators a clearer sense of proximity without the need for extra sensors or complex processing. 

 
The first prototype of the EOD robot depth-perception system was built with hobby-grade components and personal funds.  

"I spent my nights in the garage, working at my bench, just trying to get the thing put together," Trombone said. "Eventually, I got it functioning."
 
Once operational, he mounted it to a robot using improvised materials like C-clamps and tape, aligning the components carefully with the camera's field of view. Despite its imperfect appearance, the system succeeded at helping operators better judge distance and handle tasks with greater precision. As development progressed, Trombone partnered with Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matt Ruben to further refine the design. 
 
"He's been my counterpart on this project the whole time," Trombone said. "He's great at CAD design, 3D printing and building things out, and he helped create the housing and all the brackets that supported the initial prototype." 
 
After submitting the project and earning high marks, Trombone and Ruben saw potential beyond the academic setting. But the prototype, though effective, lacked scalability.  

"We knew we were onto something interesting," Trombone said, "but we didn't have a precise product. ... We still needed help from an engineering team."

Seeking a path forward, they discovered the AFWERX Refinery, an Air Force innovation accelerator, and applied. AFWERX Refinery provides airmen and guardian innovators with entrepreneurial knowledge, connections to relevant stakeholders and resources within the Defense Department. 
 
Through the program, Trombone and Ruben gained critical support, including development time, funding for travel and research, and access to key experts. One of the most valuable partners was the Wright Brothers Institute, which helped guide the next phase by coordinating industry outreach, identifying capability gaps and securing a manufacturing partner. That search ultimately led to a defense-trusted engineering and analytics firm to lead manufacturing prep with Trombone and Ruben and deploy the advanced robotics sensor. 
 
Also recognizing the value of the concept, the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center pursued intellectual property protection, filing a patent application in June 2023. 
 
"If it's approved, that's a bonus, but our goal has always been mission impact," Trombone said. 

Designed to be low cost and easy to implement, the system is poised to be adopted across EOD units in the Air Force and joint partners. The team aims to keep the unit price low enough for teams to procure the system within existing budgets. 
 
"If this reduces the need for technicians to approach [improvised explosive devices] in person and allows for faster, safer robotic operations, then we've achieved our mission," Trombone said. 
 
Reflecting on the project's evolution, he emphasized the importance of collaboration and institutional support. 
 
"We wouldn't be where we are today without a strong group of stakeholders," Trombone said. "Dozens of people have contributed, some throughout, others at key moments, but it's definitely not a one- or two-person show. It takes a whole team to get something like this off the ground."

To other airmen pursuing innovation, he stressed the value of patience, adaptability and a willingness to learn. Turning a good idea into an operational solution often means managing both the technical development and the process behind it. Understanding how to navigate project timelines, stakeholder engagement and the realities of scaling a concept can be just as important as the idea itself.