On Monday, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced that it and the Air Mobility Command (AMC), which provides aerial refueling and airlift services for U.S. forces worldwide, began testing a UAS traffic management (UTM) system at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.

The system, called CLUE, or Collaborative Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Effort, is designed to integrate UAS flights next to crewed aircraft above and around Air Force installations. According to the AFRL, MacDill is the first base to use a UTM system in airspace overseen by Department of Defense air traffic controllers.

“This is a significant milestone for AMC, AFRL, and the CLUE program, as the MacDill Air Traffic Control Tower and Base Defense Operations Center are first in the Air Force to operationally assess UTM capabilities,” said Phil Zaleski, manager of the AFRL CLUE program.

CLUE was born out of the AFRL’s Information Directorate as a project meant to provide “air domain awareness, situational awareness, and UTM operational capabilities for UAS operators, air traffic control [ATC] personnel, Security Forces and other stakeholders.”

The system arrived at MacDill in 2022, where initial testing focused on airspace deconfliction, communication, and security. The goal was to enable drone flights beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator, which are heavily scrutinized and restricted by the FAA.

Since then, the UTM platform has been developed to give air traffic controllers a three-dimensional view of UAS activity and make it possible to grant flight permissions automatically.

“Equipping airspace managers and UAS operators with a 3D operational viewing capability and additional features designed to reduce lengthy manual and advanced planning procedures will be critical to achieving real-time flight planning and mission execution,” said James Layton, chief of plans and programs at MacDill.

The system is also sensor-agnostic, meaning it integrates with an array of different sensors designed to detect, track, and identify drones, including a counter UAS system being tested at MacDill.

The Air Force in May began formally testing CLUE’s capabilities on the base, opening it to the site’s ATC tower, Defense Operations Center, and airfield management team. Personnel so far have used the system to plan the intent of UAS flights or let operators know where they are approved to fly a drone, for example.

Operators ask CLUE for the all clear to fly, and their request is either approved or denied by the control tower. Once permission is granted, they can fly within a bounded area. CLUE feeds the operators information about the airspace and other nearby aircraft, helping them stay within the approved zone while avoiding other drones.

The UTM system has also been installed at Eglin AFB’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida, where the AFRL conducted a demonstration of its capabilities in 2023. There, CLUE will begin by integrating flights of small UAS (weighing less than 70 pounds) before moving to larger designs, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis such as Joby Aviation’s five-seat S4.

Joby, partnering with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, earlier this year committed to deliver two air taxis to MacDill and has also shipped a prototype aircraft to Edwards AFB in California.

MacDill in May also hosted flights of a KC-135 Stratotanker equipped with an autonomous flight system from developer Merlin Labs, which is designed to one day enable fully remote flights. That technology, as well as systems from fellow AFWERX collaborators Xwing and Reliable Robotics, could one day be integrated into the CLUE UTM.

AFWERX and the AFRL are not the only government entities studying UTM systems. The Air Force is working with NASA to build a digital operations center for drones and electric air taxis nationwide and is collaborating with the FAA to integrate novel and uncrewed aircraft with air traffic control and other systems within the national airspace.

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“This shows that warfighter-centric innovation is not only possible; it’s producing real results,” Kathleen Hicks, U.S. deputy secretary of defense, said in a statement last week. “Together with the private sector and with support from Congress, the Replicator initiative is delivering capabilities at greater speed and scale while simultaneously burning down risk and alleviating systemic barriers across the department.”

Hicks did not specify which systems have been delivered, how many, or to whom. But the update marks progress toward equipping the U.S. military with aircraft that the deputy defense secretary previously described as “small, smart, cheap, and many.”

Replicator has largely been shrouded in secrecy since it was revealed by Hicks in October. The program seeks to produce UAS cheaply and at scale with the assistance of the private sector, including commercial manufacturers and defense companies.

“We are seeing contract awards for autonomous, attritable systems being increased in size and pulled forward,” the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which is supporting the program, says on its website.

The drones, which the DOD characterizes as all-domain attritable autonomous systems (ADA2), are designed to be deployed in minutes and be shot down with little to no impact on military capabilities, making them ideal for operations in high-risk environments, such as the battlefield.

Replicator’s primary objective is to help the U.S. keep pace with China’s growing military strength—the People’s Liberation Army has an estimated 2,200 combat aircraft and boasts the world’s largest Navy, per DOD data—but the aircraft will be deployed across multiple domains. The current 18-to-24-month initiative, Replicator 1, is intended to be the first of several iterations of the program.

The DOD operates more than 11,000 UAS across air, land, and sea mainly for training, testing, and surveillance. The smallest is the RQ-11B Raven, which weighs just over 4 pounds and can fly up to 6.2 sm (5.4 nm). At the other end of the spectrum are aircraft such as the remotely piloted RQ-4 Global Hawk, which weighs nearly 15,000 pounds and has a 131-foot wingspan.

Earlier this month, the department announced $500 million in funding for Replicator for fiscal year 2024, much of which comes from the 2024 defense spending bill. It also confirmed the first aircraft to benefit from the program’s accelerated speed and scale: the Switchblade-600, a loitering munition (known colloquially as a kamikaze drone) produced by California-based Aerovironment.

Switchblades, which can hover in the air for as long as 40 minutes before striking a target, have been used by Ukrainian soldiers and will add “additional capability to U.S. forces,” the department said. The first tranche, or batch, of Replicator-backed technology will include additional UAS and counter-UAS systems, some of which remain classified.

Now, at least some of those systems have been delivered. But whether or not they are Switchblades remains a mystery. A possible destination for the aircraft could be the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which oversees operations of U.S. forces in the region.

The DOD is seeking another $500 million in funding for Replicator in next year’s provisional budget, signaling that the program is only just beginning.

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Pyka, a manufacturer of electric uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), on Monday partnered with aerospace and defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to introduce a variant of its flagship Pelican Cargo drone for DOD use.

“SNC has extensive experience modifying products from the Silicon Valley technology ecosystem to fit DOD requirements, and they are committed to making cutting-edge technology like Pelican Cargo available to the United States government,” said Michael Norcia, co-founder and CEO of Pyka.

The cargo version of Pelican—which also comes in a crop-spraying configuration, Pelican Spray—is the world’s largest zero-emission cargo aircraft, according to Pyka.

Unveiled in January, the UAS has a massive 400-pound payload and 70 cubic feet of cargo volume, far larger than what is seen on a typical delivery drone. It has a length of about 22 feet and a 38-foot wingspan, with a range of up to 200 miles and cruise speed of 60-70 knots.

“Pyka’s Pelican Cargo is unlike any other UAS solution on the market for contested logistics,” said Michael Bertman, vice president of programs at SNC. “We assessed a number of leading capabilities and concluded that the Pelican Cargo is significantly more capable than any other platform. It is the only all-electric, austere environment cargo aircraft with that kind of range, payload capacity, and cargo volume.”

Pyka and SNC together introduced RumRunner, a modified version of Pelican Cargo that also has a 400-pound payload and 200-mile range but was designed specifically for defense applications.

The UAS has four electric motors powered by triple-redundant batteries, which can be recharged within an hour or swapped out in five minutes. It flies fully autonomously using Pyka’s proprietary Flight Engine, which processes millions of inputs per second from the aircraft’s lidar, downward facing lasers, inertial measurement units, and air data booms. The system uses 3D aerial mapping and dynamic path planning to detect obstacles.

One key feature of the zero-emission design is its super-short takeoff and landing (SSTOL) capability. With a full payload, Pelican Cargo requires just 500 feet of runway to take off. According to Pyka, this enables operations with “an order of magnitude less infrastructure than previously possible.”

In addition, the drone can operate at night using GPS and laser- or radar-based navigation. It can be loaded in just five minutes, Pyka says, using a nose-loading configuration with a sliding cargo tray.

“Creating a more diverse, distributed, and survivable supply chain is expected to be the primary driver in terms of interest from the DOD,” said Bertman. “The zero-fuel component minimizes the need to forward-stage bulk fuel, which significantly reduces the logistics tail normally associated with resupply operations. This presents opportunities to increase the survivability of our service members, reduce risks to the force, and transform the way military operations have historically been conducted.”

Pyka, like many manufacturers of electric or autonomous aircraft, also has a relationship with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. In February, it delivered the first of three Pelican Cargo aircraft, on lease to AFWERX, to New Braunfels National Airport (KBAZ) in Texas, where Air Force personnel will explore its applications for defense.

Pyka so far has precommitments on over 80 orders and options for Pelican Cargo from three launch customers in North America and Europe, including London-based Skyports Drone Services.

In March, the manufacturer secured a 110,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and production facility in Alameda, California, the site of the historic Alameda Naval Air Station. It will use the facility to design, develop, and manufacture aircraft at scale after it settles into the site later this year.

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Kendall said the flight is intended to allow him to observe the technology underlying the Air Force’s future fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which will pair crewed jets with fleets of tiny, buzzing, autonomous drones. A second pilot will join the Air Force secretary, but neither will actually fly the aircraft—a modified F-16—except in case of emergency.

The U.S. is investing plenty of money into the CCA. According to the Associated Press, the Air Force requested $559 million in its upcoming budget to support the program, out of a total budget request of $188.1 billion. The department’s 2025 fiscal year begins October 1. For the 2024 defense spending bill, the U.S. Department of Defense requested $1.8 billion worth of artificial intelligence investments.

“We have a cost problem with the aircraft that we’re buying now,” Kendall said in response to a question from Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, during a hearing for the Air Force and Space Force fiscal year 2025 budget request. “Our fighters are very expensive. The F-35 and the F-15EX cost about $100 million each, NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) will cost over $300 million and will be bought in small numbers.

“The uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft give us an opportunity to address the cost and the quantity issues with relatively inexpensive but very highly cost-effective platforms that we add to the fleet.”

The Air Force earlier this month welcomed three F-16s to Eglin Air Force Base (KVPS) in Florida, where they will be modified for autonomous testing. The modifications are part of the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model-Autonomy Flying Testbed program, or VENOM-AFT, which supports CCA with funding for autonomous software testing on crewed and uncrewed aircraft.

VENOM-AFT testing will be performed by the Air Force’s 40th Flight Test Squadron and 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. Personnel will monitor the autonomy system during flight and provide feedback.

Additionally, the Air Force Research Laboratory this month received a $4 million grant to build an AI and machine learning research center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (KFFO) in Ohio.

Kendall’s comments on Tuesday come amid the backdrop of China’s rising military might, particularly in the air.

Drones manufactured in China have been spotted on the battlefield in Eastern Europe and the Levant, where they have inflicted devastating attacks on troops, infrastructure, and civilians. Chinese manufacturer DJI is considered the largest seller of consumer drones. But many cheaply bought DJI products have been modified for use in combat, prompting wariness among U.S. lawmakers.

Kendall urged senators to modernize the department’s technology, warning that any further budget delays could give China a leg up. The budget for the current fiscal year was enacted in March, more than six months later than intended.

“Time matters, but so do resources,” Kendall said. “The United States is also now facing a competitor with national purchasing power that exceeds our own, a challenge we have never faced in modern times.”

Beyond the CCA, the DOD is also building up an army of “small, smart, cheap” drones through the Replicator initiative, announced by Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks in August.

According to Hicks and other senior officials, the plan is to produce “multiple thousands” of systems that are attritable, meaning they could be lost or shot down with minimal impact to U.S. military capabilities. These drones would be ideal for high-risk operations in which the chance of a crash or takedown is likely.

Hicks said the objective is to “outmatch” China. But William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, clarified that Replicator systems will be distinct from CCA aircraft. However, LaPlante added that Replicator drones could be “very complementary” to the CCA initiative.

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Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, manufacturer of the solar-powered, ultralong-range K1000ULE uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), last week won a contract to provide the Navy with its first UAS capable of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL). The contract was agreed through PMA-263, the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Air Systems program office at Patuxent River, Maryland.

KHAero’s K1000ULE is a 100 percent electric, solar-powered, Group 2 UAS. The company claims the aircraft boasts a greater flight endurance than any eVTOL in its category, capable of remaining airborne for 26 hours during a single flight.

The U.S. Marine Corps Small Unit Remote Scouting System will field K1000ULE to enable what KHAero predicts will be simpler, faster, and more cost-effective intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The UAS will also enhance the Navy’s beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in “denied or contested areas.” Operations are fully autonomous, relying on onboard artificial intelligence and autopilot technology.

“Today we live with the prospect of a new era of defense technology in which autonomy and artificial intelligence will become more important,” said Fatema Hamdani, CEO of KHAero. “The Navy wants to discover what’s possible. And we’re honored to give them the solutions they need.”

KHAero claims K1000ULE has the longest endurance of any fully electric, zero-emissions, autonomous UAS in its size and weight category. Its 26-hour flight time comes from a propulsion system that runs on lithium ion batteries and photovoltaics (or solar power), powering a brushless electric motor and folding propeller. The aircraft’s solar technology is licensed by the U.S. Department of Energy, per the company.

KL1000ULE is about 10 feet long with a 16.5-foot wingspan, capable of taking off at a weight of 42.5 pounds and reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet msl. The aircraft cruises at around 30-40 knots, giving it a 1,000 sm (867 nm) range. It can be equipped with electro-optical, infrared, communications and other payloads. In addition, KHAero says it can accommodate any Department of Defense MOD Payload compliant payload.

KHAero’s focus is largely on data, intelligence, and communication services, created using multidrone coordination systems. It aims to service customers in emergency and disaster relief, data and telecommunications, defense, agriculture, oil and gas, climate change, and wildlife preservation.

The company’s system additionally shares information across platforms to allocate aircraft on demand, based on sensor needs. In the case of the Navy, crews across operations will be able to keep informed on the UAS’ status.

A single Navy operator could operate a swarm of K1000ULE drones, creating a “self-aware constellation,” in KHAero’s words, that autonomously makes decisions and performs terrain and airspace deconfliction.

The system is controlled through a wearable tablet interface, which helps the user select a coverage area and launch the correct number of assets within 15 minutes. Operators can review or change the coverage area or mission objectives, view the position, flight time, and battery power of the aircraft, and track how many drones are in the sky.

Before awarding the contract to KHAero, the Navy made sure to vet the aircraft, requesting that the manufacturer demonstrate a range of capabilities. U.S. and international partners deployed it for the first time in March 2023,  conducting operations over Aqaba, Jordan, as part of the International Maritime Exercise 2023.

Further evaluations were performed at both KHAero and U.S. government test facilities and overseen by the UAS Research and Operations Center at the University of Maryland. Among the capabilities and technologies tested were flight endurance, vertical takeoff and landing without a runway, and operations in daytime, nighttime, and other environmental conditions.

Removing the runway requirement is a key component of KHAero’s offering. The company also aims to reduce the Navy’s UAS operational footprint from 120-150 to less than five people, performing testing on K1000ULE’s maneuverability. Further, KHAero expects these operations to be nearly undetectable, which it tested by having the Navy track the drone’s audio and visual signatures from the ground.

After gauging K1000ULE’s capabilities, the partners performed reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition tests. They evaluated the aircraft’s full motion video capabilities, which can identify and classify targets, among other mission systems packages.

The Navy could use the UAS to scout an unidentified vehicle, track enemy force movements, shadow friendly troops on the move, or perform other ISR tasks. KHAero is among several aircraft and technology manufacturers collaborating with the U.S. military—Archer Aviation, Pivotal, Xwing and many others are working with the Air Force via its innovation arm, AFWERX.

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The company on Monday announced its acquisition of electric aviation technology developer Magpie Aviation, including the company’s Aerotowing solution, for an undisclosed fee. Magpie Aerotowing uses electrified tow aircraft to stretch out the flight time of larger electric models.

Ampaire will also inherit multiple pending Magpie patents and pending and existing government contracts. The company said these will help it further develop Magpie’s solution, as well as its proprietary propulsion system.

“We founded Magpie because we believe electrified aircraft have a pivotal role to play in the future of aviation,” said Damon Vander Lind, CEO of Magpie. “I am thrilled to see this vision continuing to move forward under Ampaire’s banner. Not only does this lift the prospects of civilian electric aircraft and meaningful emission reductions in the future, it also helps Ampaire to serve military customers with their needs, right now.”

According to Magpie, electric aircraft are often limited to short routes due to battery energy density constraints. The company is developing technology to counteract this: specifically, a network of electric tow aircraft that could enable zero-emission flights of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and other electric aircraft beyond 1,000 sm (869 nm).

Here’s how it works. An electrified main aircraft takes off and climbs to its cruising altitude, while a tow aircraft departs from a charging station at a nearby, secondary airport. The pair meet autonomously in the sky and are connected at a safe distance. The tow aircraft then begins towing while the main aircraft idles and can be swapped out en route to enable even longer flights.

Last year, Magpie demonstrated what claimed were the world’s first automated towing connections between two flying aircraft. Its autonomous Active Hook system tracked, positioned, and connected two aircraft in repeated tests “with centimeter-level precision,” according to the company.

Magpie said Aerotowing becomes cost-competitive at scale, despite the involvement of extra aircraft. Airlines would be able to operate large electric aircraft over longer distances, which the firm said could help them save on fuel and maintenance costs.

Those savings may also offset the added cost of towing, which Magpie said is “kept economical” by operating simple aircraft out of secondary airports. Citing research from Bain Capital, the company claims battery-electric designs will be “substantially cheaper” to operate than sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or hydrogen-powered aircraft.

Magpie owns several strategic government contracts, including with the U.S. Air Force, which Ampaire said it will continue. The company also said it will leverage Magpie’s pending contracts and patents when they come to fruition.

“With this acquisition, Ampaire anticipates further revenue growth across both commercial and defense sectors while simultaneously enhancing the capabilities and mission scope of our existing hybrid aircraft,” said Kevin Noertker, CEO of Ampaire. “Building upon our recent acquisition of Talyn Air, the addition of Magpie exemplifies our deliberate approach to integrating pivotal companies and assets on our path to accelerate our leadership in electrified aviation.”

Ampaire’s AMP-H570 AMP Drive hybrid-electric propulsion unit can be integrated into both general aviation and regional turboprop commercial aircraft. The systems have flown more than 25,000 sm to date, the company said, claiming that no one in the industry has more hybrid-electric flight time. That includes a 12-hour flight of the company’s Electric EEL demonstrator in December, which set the endurance record for hybrid-electric aircraft.

The firm’s flagship aircraft, however, is the nine-seat Eco Caravan, which has an estimated 1,100 sm (956 nm) range and 2,500-pound payload. Ampaire in 2022 said the model could be the first electrified regional aircraft to enter commercial service. It hopes to earn a supplemental type certificate from the FAA by year’s end.

The Eco Caravan is equipped with Ampaire’s proprietary propulsion system, which it said will reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 50 to 70 percent compared to conventional Pratt & Whitney PT6 engines. PT6s are common on Cessna Caravan turboprops.

Ampaire’s acquisition of Magpie follows its July purchase of eVTOL manufacturer Talyn Air, through which it also inherited several defense contracts and patents. It intends to leverage these to add its systems to eVTOL aircraft, in addition to Cessnas and de Havilland Twin Otter DHC6s it is already modifying.

Noertker in July told FLYING his hope is for the company to become the go-to propulsion systems firm for both conventional and emerging aircraft. The Ampaire CEO sees near-term applications for eVTOL aircraft in defense and cargo delivery, but his primary focus remains on electrifying conventional aircraft.

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Reliable Robotics, which in November completed the first flight of a Cessna 208B Caravan with no one on board, received military airworthiness approval to begin flight testing and operational missions of remotely piloted aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. The company will demonstrate its dual-use automated flight capabilities for military use cases such as cargo missions.

Reliable’s remotely operated aircraft system (ROAS) completed an airworthiness assessment comprising a comprehensive safety analysis, maintenance and operational evaluations, and testing of its automated flight tech. 

The approval is the latest milestone in the company’s Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force. That collaboration began in 2021. Since then, Reliable has conducted a demonstration flight at California’s Travis Air Force Base and been contracted by AFWERX to study the possibility of automating large multiengine jets.

Now, the firm is one of only a few in the emerging aviation space with military airworthiness under its belt. Beta Technologies received the first such approval for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design in 2021. Lift Aircraft, maker of the Hexa personal eVTOL, nabbed one the following year. Other manufacturers of novel tech, such as Archer Aviation, also maintain relationships with AFWERX and the Department of Defense.

“Our AFWERX partners are developing exciting automation technologies through robust engineering and flight test campaigns,” said Hank “Hog” Griffiths, AFWERX airworthiness and test lead. “The technology is maturing rapidly and this airworthiness approval for a certified aircraft retrofitted with an autonomous flight system provides significant opportunities for the military.”

ROAS allows pilots to safely operate aircraft from the ground, which could alleviate the sting of pilot shortages. Some even argue automated flight tech could one day be safer than crewed flight.

Reliable is developing the aircraft agnostic system to automate all phases of flight—from taxi to takeoff to landing—for any design. That includes cargo aircraft designed for payloads north of 3,000 pounds.

The company has an entrenched relationship with Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation—the manufacturer’s sustainable flight arm—to retrofit ROAS onto additional Caravans. Textron has delivered more than 3,000 of the aircraft, making it one of the most widely used turboprops in the world.

ROAS’ continuous autopilot system relies on advanced navigation and multiple redundant layers to reach a level of reliability equal to crewed flight, Reliable claims. It includes automatic braking and is positioned as being able to prevent both controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I), according to the company.

Redundant hardware and software automate the flight control surfaces and engine controls. Similarly redundant voice and data networks, meanwhile, enable remote command and radio management for pilots.

“Nothing compares to showcasing how our autonomous flight capabilities will immediately enable new ways for the U.S. Air Force and other departments of the military to lead with innovation, improve safety, and project power across the globe,” said former Air Force Major General David O’Brien, senior vice president of government solutions at Reliable.

But Reliable is looking beyond defense use cases. ROAS—capable of automating aircraft with useful loads as high as 3,000 pounds or the ability to take off from shorter runways—could one day enable time-sensitive deliveries to locations currently served by piloted Caravans. In 2022, the company announced plans to launch a fully owned Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives.

In addition to its collaboration with the Air Force, Reliable has also demonstrated automated flight capabilities for NASA and the FAA, the latter of which formally accepted the firm’s certification plan in June. The company capped off 2023 with its historic cargo flight, keeping an uncrewed Caravan in the air for 12 minutes.

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Home to more than 10,000 U.S. troops, the air base southwest of Doha is a hub for U.S. Central Command operations and the largest American military base in the Middle East. The new agreement, which has not yet been announced publicly by the Biden administration, has been confirmed by numerous defense officials, CNN reported.

• READ MORE: First Diamond DA50 RG Delivered to Middle East

News of the deal with the major non-NATO U.S. ally was also confirmed by Reuters.

• READ MORE: Air Force B-1 Bomber Missions Underway in Middle East

Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to the Middle East, where he met with leaders from Qatar, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain, and Israel. During the visit, Austin praised Qatari defense leaders for making new investments at the air base.

“I especially wanted to be here…to share that Qatar and the United States will formally take steps forward to expand and reinforce our bilateral defense relationship,” Austin said. “We’ll do this through Qatar’s commitment to contribute significant resources to increase capabilities here at Al Udeid Air Base, and that will support both of our forces for years to come.” 

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“The transition from a rescue operation to a recovery operation occurs when the determination is made that survivors are unlikely,” Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) said Tuesday.

• READ MORE: CV-22 Wreckage, Crew Remains Located in Search Off Coast of Japan

The CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan went down offshore of Yakushima Island Wednesday afternoon with eight crew members on board during a routine training mission. As of Tuesday afternoon, the remains of six had been located.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of eight American troops in a tragic aircraft crash off the coast of Japan,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday. “We continue to gather information on this tragic incident, and we will conduct a rigorous and thorough investigation. The United States is grateful to Japan’s Coast Guard, Self-Defense forces, and local communities—including fishermen—for their search and rescue efforts.”

AFSOC identified the deceased airmen as:

• Staff Sergeant Jake Galliher, 24, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts; airborne linguist specializing in Chinese-Mandarin;
• Major Jeffrey Hoernemann, 32, of Andover, Minnesota; CV-22 instructor pilot and officer in charge of training;
• Major Eric Spendlove, 36, of St. George, Utah; residency trained flight surgeon and medical operations flight commander;
• Major Luke Unrath, 34, of Riverside, California; CV-22 pilot and flight commander;
• Captain Terrell Brayman, 32, of Pittsford, New York; CV-22 pilot and flight commander;
• Technical Sergeant Zachary Lavoy, 33, of Oviedo, Florida; medical operations flight chief;
• Staff Sergeant Jake Turnage, 25, of Kennesaw, Georgia; flight engineer;
• Senior Airman Brian Johnson, 32, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; flight engineer.

Search efforts deployed assets and personnel from five U.S. military branches, and was supported by Japanese military search teams, AFSOC said.

• READ MORE: Investigation Underway after MV-22 Crashes with 23 Marines on Board

“On behalf of all of the joint U.S. teammates actively involved in the search, we want to extend our sincere gratitude to the Government of Japan’s Self Defense Force, Coast Guard, law enforcement, mariners, and local Yakushima civilian volunteers for their tireless assistance in the search and rescue operations for our airmen,” Rear Admiral Jeromy Williams, Special Operations Command—Pacific commander, said in a statement.

“Their selfless dedication in our time of need demonstrates the ironclad bond between our nations,” he said, adding, “We are resolved to locating our aircrew and bringing them home to their families.”

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The remains of one crew member on board the aircraft at the time of the mishap have been recovered, Air Forces Special Operations Command (AFSOC) confirmed in a statement Friday morning. According to the command, the seven remaining aircrew were considered to be in “duty status-whereabouts unknown” status.

The CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan went down offshore of Yakushima Island Wednesday afternoon during a routine training mission.

“Search and rescue operations consist of a combination of air, surface, and subsurface search of water and coastline in the vicinity of Yakushima, Japan in order to locate the crewmembers,” AFSOC said. Units involved in the operation included Pacific Air Forces; U.S. Pacific Fleet; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific; Special Operations Command Pacific; 353^rd Special Operations Wing; 18^th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan; 1^st Special Forces Group; Japan Coast Guard; and Japanese Self-Defense Forces.

• READ MORE: Crash Prompts Japan To Call on U.S. Military To Ground Ospreys 

Thursday, Japanese military officials announced the country’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) would suspend operations of its fleet of 14 Ospreys until the cause of the crash was clarified. As of Friday, however, U.S. military operations of Ospreys remained ongoing, according to Japan’s top military official.

“As far as I can confirm based on the latest information, the Ministry of Defense, and visual information, since the accident occurred, U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys have been flown a total of 46 times at Futenma Air Base and Kadena,” Japan defense minister Minoru Kihara told reporters Friday. “We confirmed that the U.S. Navy’s CMV Osprey took off and landed at Kadena Air Base a total of four times, and the U.S. Navy’s CMV Osprey took off and landed at Kadena Air Base a total of six times,” he said.

• READ MORE: Investigation Underway after MV-22 Crashes with 23 Marines on Board

“Right now, the Ospreys are still operating in Japan,” Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters Thursday.

“It’s currently under investigation to see exactly what happened. If the investigation concludes that there need to be additional steps taken, we’ll certainly do that, but at this time, the investigation is underway on what happened,” she said.

The post Search for Missing CV-22 Crew Remains Ongoing in Japan appeared first on FLYING Magazine.