Friday, March 17, 2023
Courtesty of OSU.
Maj. Gen. Jeffrey King (left) and Kenneth Sewell (right) sign an agreement between the Air Force and CEAT.
OSU’s CEAT partners with Air Force Stephanie Landaverde Staff Reporter
help improve maintenance operations in the depot to advance the readiness of the Air Force. “These aircraft provide no support sitting in the depot,” King said. “The OSU has signed a Cooperative faster we can accomplish maintenance Research and Development Agreement on each aircraft, the faster we can get with Tinker Air Force Base. them back in operation for our men and CRADA’s technology will have women serving around the world.” a direct impact on the readiness of the CRADA is part of a larger eduUnited States Air Force. cational partnership agreement and OSU students, faculty and staff addresses Tinker Air Force Base’s will work alongside engineers and immediate need. It will provide OSU technicians at Tinker Air Force Base to CEAT students and faculty an opporresearch, develop and utilize technoltunity to directly impact the nation’s ogy that will provide maintenance and armed forces; specifically, this research upgrade existing and new aircraft in a opportunity will facilitate technology faster, safer, higher-quality and more insertion and process improvement for cost effective way. removing the many and various aircraft Maj. Gen. Jeffrey King, command- and engine fasteners, an essential step er of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics in depot operations. Complex at Tinker Air Force Base, said Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice this partnership will allow research to president for research, said this CRADA
puts a real-world problem in the hands of students and provides them with experiential research training that they wouldn’t experience under normal circumstances. “This agreement gives us a realworld, impactful way to exercise our research expertise in a way that benefits society almost immediately,” Sewell said. The research conducted under this CRADA will supplement each participating student’s educational experience and create a more knowledgeable, experienced graduate that is better prepared to enter the workforce and address the growing engineering needs of Oklahoma and the nation. Kurt Rouser, assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is serving as the University Technical Point of Contact for the CRADA. Rouser said students
benefit from understanding the engineering challenges facing the Air Force in sustaining aircraft and engines. “This opportunity will enhance a pipeline of talent uniquely prepared for the aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul industry that has a national hub situated at the crossroads here in Oklahoma,” Rouser said. The CRADA, as well as addressing a specific and immediate need, will provide a foundation for partnership among OSU, Tinker Air Force Base and the U.S. Air Force. OSU leaders believe this partnership is their obligation. “We, as a university, see it as our role to contribute, not only to our local community and our state, but to our nation, as part of our land-grant mission,” Sewell said. news.ed@ocolly.com
US defense secretary calls Russia ‘reckless,’ says drone flights will continue Courtney McBride and Peter Martin Tribune
up to be a race to recover the wreckage of the MQ-9 Reaper drone. The U.S. said two Russian fighter jets harassed the drone over the Black Sea WASHINGTON by dumping fuel on it — Defense Secretary and flying in front of it, Lloyd Austin spoke with before one of them hit its his Russian counterpart propeller and forced it to about a U.S. surveillance crash. drone that crashed into “The United States the Black Sea after an will fly and operate encounter with a Russian wherever international fighter jet, as officials law allows,” Austin told sought to keep the incia briefing. “We take any dent from further escapotential for escalation lating tension already very seriously and that’s high over the invasion of why I believe it’s imporUkraine. tant to keep the lines of Austin told report- communication open,” ers at a press conference Austin said. “I think it’s in Washington that he really key that we’re able spoke to Sergei Shoigu to pick up the phone and about what he called talk to each other.” Russia’s “dangerous, Russia said its jets reckless, and unprodidn’t come into contact fessional behavior in with the drone and that international airspace,” the Reaper crashed “as amid what was shaping a result of sharp maneu-
vering.” Russia’s Interfax news agency, citing the defense ministry, said the call between Austin and Shoigu took place at the initiative of the U.S. but provided no other details. The episode led to fears of a broader escalation or even the possibility that the U.S. could be drawn directly into the conflict. But officials sought to steer away from that possibility, with Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying he didn’t know if the Russian jet intentionally struck the drone. He said the U.S. had video evidence of the incident and there was no doubt Russia’s actions were aggressive. See Russia on 3A
Courtesy of Tribune U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (left) speaks as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley listens during a press conference at the Pentagon on March 15, 2023, in Arlington, Virginia. Secretary Austin and Gen. Milley discussed various topics including the downing of an American MQ-9 Reaper drone in the Black Sea by Russian fighter jets. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/TNS)
Courtesy of Tribune Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a rally to demand action on gun safety at the Michigan State Capitol on March 15, 2023, in Lansing, Michigan. The rally comes after three gun safety bills passed the Michigan House last week and one month after three students were killed and five injured in a mass shooting at Michigan State University. (Chris duMond/Getty Images/TNS)
Michigan leaders promise quick action to combat gun violence: ‘Now is the time’ Craig Mauger Tribune
to get reforms to the gov- checks. The full 11-bill ernor’s desk. package in the Senate ad“My pledge to you vanced out of committee is that we are going to get last week. Votes from the LANSING, Mich. these bills done,” Brinks full Senate are possible as — Gov. Gretchen Whittold the crowd. soon as Thursday, Brinks mer and Michigan’s “Now is the time,” said in an interview after other Democratic leaders Whitmer said during her Wednesday’s rally. promised supporters of speech. “We’ll take them up measures aimed at comDemocratic lawas soon as they’re ready,” bating gun violence they makers have prioritized the majority leader added. would take action “in proposals to require A national group short order” Wednesday criminal background led by Giffords, who’s during a rally outside the checks for all gun purbecome an outspoken state Capitol. chases, to mandate advocate for gun safety Thirty days after storage standards for policies, organized the a gunman killed three firearms in homes where gathering at the Capitol. students and injured five children are present and A few hundred people others on the campus of to permit “extreme risk” attended with about 30 Michigan State Univerprotection orders, also there to protest the event. sity, Whitmer and former known as a red flag law, The counter demonArizona congresswoman to allow guns to be taken strators shouted out from Gabrielle Giffords, a away from people deemed the crowd as speakers survivor of a 2011 mass a risk to themselves and made their remarks on shooting, bumped fists on others. the Capitol steps. stage as Senate Majority The House has Leader Winnie Brinks, already approved bills D-Grand Rapids, vowed to require background See Michigan on 4A