AVIATION MEGAFORCE

Bomber marks 30 years of service; adapts to changing battlespace Photos (1)  B-1B Lancer celebrates its soon to be 30th anniversary with the U.S. Air Force at Dyess Air Force Base this week – marking one of many milestones in a legacy that will continue long into the future as Boeing’s B-1 team ushers the supersonic bomber into the digital age with new upgrades. The latest upgrade, a trio of updates known as the integrated battle station, are ensuring the B-1 meets today’s mission requirements and further establishes a solid foundation for additional modernization in the decades to come. “Boeing’s integrated battle station work improves the aircraft’s performance as a global strike platform,” said Dan Ruder, Boeing’s Advanced Programs Manager. “We’re installing all-digital cockpit displays and connecting the bombers to a global communications network, capabilities that allow for greater agility and situational awareness.” “The adaptability of the jet has ensured its relevance –

Nasa unveils shape-changing bird-like plane wing The new flexible wing was tested on a Gulfstream III jet Nasa has jointly developed a plane wing that can change shape during flight. The US space agency says  the new wing will "save millions of dollars annually in fuel costs, reduce airframe weight and decrease aircraft noise during take-offs and landings." The wing features a seamless flexible edge that can move up or down more subtly than traditional hinged flaps. The joint project involved Nasa, Air Force Research Laboratory and private tech firm FlexSys. During six months of testing, an aircraft featuring the experimental control surfaces was flown at fixed flap angles ranging from -2 degrees to 30 degrees for data collection purposes, Nasa said. ADVERTISEMENT But the flexible Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) wing is designed to go through the full range of positions during a flight, making the operation of the wing much more like that