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ACC in the News
A selection of recent clips about Air Combat Command in the news media
(Last updated May 28, 2009)
May 21
AF officials announce Combat Air Forces restructuring plan
AFNS
Following the May 7 roll-out of the fiscal year 2010 budget proposal for the Department of Defense, Air Force officials announced plans to retire legacy fighters to fund a smaller and more capable force and redistribute people for higher priority missions.
May 20
BLOG: USAF unfunded wish list for FY 2010
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense
The U.S. Air Force's much-awaited unfunded priorities list is out. Signed by Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, the list was sent to Congress May 18, and it includes $1.9 billion worth of items not in the FY 10 baseline budget request.
Ga. senator says support exists for more F-22s
Air Force Times
Congressional proponents of more F-22 fighters will aim to put extra money for the stealthy jets in the 2010 U.S. defense appropriations bill, a key senator says.
BLOG: Air Force willing to sacrifice today's force for JSF future
bNet Industries, http://industry.bnet.com/government
The United States Air Force's Chief of Staff, General Schwartz, testified to the House Armed Services Committee that the Air Force is willing to sacrifice their current fleet of A-10, F-15 and F-16 aircraft to free up funds to expedite delivery of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
Splitting 9th AF and AFCENT
Air Force Magazine Daily Report
The Air Force wants to separate the forward warfighting element from the rear day-to-day oversight element of 9th Air Force/Air Forces Central, so Gen. Norton Schwartz told lawmakers Tuesday during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the 2010 Air Force budget.
Too few fighters?
Air Force Magazine Daily Report
Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.) pointed out during the May 19 House Armed Services Committee hearing on USAF's 2010 budget request that the national military strategy calls for 2,250 fighters, whereas the accelerated retirement of some 250 legacy fighters would cause a shortage of about 100 fighters "below the stated requirement."
May 19
Air Force accelerates Tyndall F-15 drawdown
WMBB ABC 13 (Panama City, Fla.)
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Air Force officials released the fiscal year 2010 Combat Air Forces restructuring plan yesterday which calls for all 48 F-15s currently assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing to be retired.
Air Forces Central HQ may move to al Udeid
Air Force Times
The top Air Force general in charge of the air wars over Iraq and Afghanistan could be moving his headquarters from South Carolina to the Persian Gulf.
Noncommissioned officer kicks up dust in Afghanistan
Central Command Public Affairs
Rotor blades sound in the distance. Ground control radios the aircraft. Helo is five minutes out. Soon, a Black Hawk hovers overhead - kicking up sand and debris. Military personnel and civilians receive a signal to board.
AFSO 21 improves war-ready engines
AFLink
The 20th Component Maintenance Squadron is currently taking steps to improve the process of producing war-ready engines by applying Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century. From March 23 to March 25, Airmen from the 20th Maintenance Group gathered to participate in the TF34 Rapid Improvement Event here.
Schwartz: Service needs long-range bomber
Air Force Times
The Air Force stands committed to developing advanced long-range strike capability despite Defense Secretary Robert Gates' decision not to field a next-generation bomber, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said May 19.
BLOG : Fighter pilots fading away
Strategy Page, http://www.strategypage.com
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (a navy admiral and the senior military guy in the Pentagon) and his boss (the Secretary of Defense) have both come out and said that the future of combat aviation is UAVs.
Air Force wants accelerated production of strike fighters
Government Executive
Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz Tuesday told lawmakers that he wants the Pentagon to accelerate acquisition of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, buying as many of the fighter jets each year as the military can afford and Lockheed Martin Corp. can produce.
May 18
Nellis crew helps rescue injured rock climber
Las Vegas Sun
Airmen from Nellis Air Force Base helped rescue an injured man who fell while rock climbing in Zion National Park in Utah on May 9.
VIDEO: Change of command ceremony at Nellis Air Force Base
KTNV-LV (ABC) - Las Vegas News
The U.S. Air Force warfare center will hold a change of command ceremony. General Kresge comes to Nellis from Colorado, where he served as the director of Air, Space and Nuclear operations.
AF plans to pick third-generation UAV by 2012
Air Force Times
The Air Force is already looking at a third generation of armed remote-control planes even as it continues to build up its fleet of MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers.
Keeping the peace requires U.S. to keep its strategic bombers
Washington Examiner
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced his 2010 budget request in April to the applause of many of Washington's nattering nabobs. Advocates of nuclear disarmament praised Gates many programmatic cuts without understanding their implications.
May 17
May 16 airpower summary: Lancer turns back enemy forces
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
May 16
May 15 airpower summary: KC-135 tankers fueled 174 sorties
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations May 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
BLOG : More F-35s, or fewer? Fighter options from the CBO
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp
There are more ways than one to skin a cat, as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) illustrates in its latest analysis of alternatives for modernizing US fighter forces.
May 15
May 14 airpower summary: F-16s provide armed reconnaissance
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
May 14
In a first, U.S. provides Pakistan with drone data
New York Times
The United States military for the first time has provided Pakistan with a broad array of surveillance information collected by American drones flying along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, American military officials said Wednesday.
Airmen from Langley to deploy this month
www.dailypress.com (Hampton, Va.)
About 280 airmen from Langley Air Force Base and 12 F-22A Raptors will deploy later this month as part of an ongoing security effort in the western Pacific.
May 13
U.S. fighter Jets to perform flyover at Andrews Air Force Base
Washington Post
U.S. Air Force fighter planes will fly over Andrews Air Force Base this afternoon in an aerial demonstration to kick off the 2009 Joint Service Open House Air Show.
Pakistan gets a say in drone attacks on militants
Los Angeles Times
Islamabad and the U.S. military team up to carry out Predator attacks on the Taliban and Al Qaeda. The program marks broad new roles for both.
BLOG: Pentagon joins CIA's drone war on Pakistan
Wired/Danger Room (www.wired.com/dangerroom/)
For years, the CIA has flown killer drones over Pakistan -- without giving local authorities much say in how or where the aircraft operate.
Facing the music: The Obama administration's defense budget request is short on new starts and adds a few more stops
Aviation Week & Space Technology
President Barack Obama's Fiscal 2010 defense budget request may yet be remembered as the turning point in a 50-year, bipartisan effort to assert control over the U.S. military industrial complex.
388th FW commander reassigned to Pentagon
Air Force Times
Col. Scott Dennis, commander of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is leaving for a job at the Pentagon.
May 12
VIDEO: Airmen practice base defense at Shaw AFB
WIS-Columbia, S.C. (NBC)
The sound of machine-gun fire filled the air at Shaw Air Force Base today. Airmen were practicing what's called base defense. Trainers say the exercise is critical in keeping the troops prepared for any kind of attack. Taylor Kearns went to Shaw today to get an inside look.
Helicopter pilot school at Nellis on hold so trainers can fly in Afghanistan
Las Vegas Sun
The war in Afghanistan is stretching the ranks of the Air Force's search-and-rescue helicopter pilots so thin, the service had to cancel an advanced training course so it could send the instructors to the front lines.
May 11
Ellsworth Task Force looks to join fight to save next generation bomber
Rapid City Journal (Rapid City, S.D.)
The Ellsworth Task Force is ready to fly into political combat again, this time to defend a next-generation bomber program set to be cut by the Obama administration.
May 10
Drones: America's new Air Force
60 Minutes (CBS)
READ STORY
WATCH VIDEO: Part 1
WATCH VIDEO: Part 2
Every so often in the history of war, a new weapon comes along that fundamentally rewrites the rules of battle. This is a story about a revolution in unmanned aviation that is doing just that.
May 9
Global Strike transfer pushed back to December
Air Force Times
Most of the 20,000 airmen slated to move to the Air Force's new major command won't be transferred until at least three months after it stands up in September.
Air Force budget: Little money, no F-22 Raptors
Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON -- The Air Force will see only a 1.8 percent increase in spending in the proposed 2010 defense budget, which would mean building fewer planes and speeding up the retirement of others, and no increase in flight hours.
May 8
Coping with old age
The Strategy Page
The U.S. F-16 fleet is rapidly aging. The average age of existing F-16s is over 20 years, and the average aircraft has over 5,000 flight hours on it. Recently, the first Block 40 F-16 passed 7,000 flight hours.
U.S. Senate Confirms First Global Strike Command Head
Shreveport Times
Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, named in a recent Times story as the man selected to head the new Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, today was unanimously confirmed for that post by the U.S. Senate.
Lawmakers rally against ending F-22, C-17 aircraft programs
Defense Daily
Dozens of lawmakers sent letters to the Obama administration yesterday, when the Pentagon unveiled its detailed budget request, decrying its proposed elimination of the jobs-generating F-22 and C-17 aircraft programs.
Fighter moves
Air Force Magazine Daily Report
President Obama has apparently signed off on Defense Secretary Robert Gates' recommendation to end the F-22 program at 187 aircraft.
May 7
Ellsworth officials to hold public meeting on base cleanup activities
Rapid City Journal
Ellsworth Air Force Base officials will hold a Restoration Advisory Board meeting Tuesday, May 19, to help keep the public informed about cleanup activities at the base.
For 2010, USAF seeks $900 million less than 2009
Defense News
The U.S. Air Force got Gates' message. The service rolled out its $160.5 billion budget request for 2010 with heavy emphasis on irregular warfare, contributing to the "joint war fight" and supporting combatant commanders.
Obama budget cuts JSF alternative engine
Aviation Week
The Pentagon is killing the alternate engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in the fiscal 2010 Defense Department budget request.
Nellis to stand up new aircraft maintenance squadron
Air Force Link
Air Force Reserve Command officials will activate a new aircraft maintenance squadron in a May 15 ceremony here. The 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, part of the 926th Group, supports the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base.
May 5 airpower summary: A-10s unleash lethal firepower
Armed Forces News Service
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
May 6
F-15sgs for the RSAF "Buccaneers" arrive at MHAFB
Mountain Home News
Plans to open a new Republic of Singapore air force training squadron at Mountain Home AFB took a significant move forward Wednesday, May 6, when the first of its advanced F-15SG fighters arrived here.
Nellis Airmen locate missing aircraft
Air Force Link
An HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue crew from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., found the wreckage an overdue aircraft in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range May 1.
187 Really Means 186
Air Force-Magazine Daily Report
A program of record to buy 187 F-22s will actually leave the Air Force with 186 Raptors when the production run is complete after factoring F-22 losses to date, the service tells the Daily Report.
May 5
In fighting noisy jets, mayor divides his town
New York Times
VALPARAISO, Fla. -- In his 45th year as mayor, John B. Arnold Jr. picked a fight with the biggest patron and largest landowner in this small town about 40 miles east of Pensacola.
Global Hawk fying mapping missions south of border
Air Force Link
The RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is currently using its sensors for non-military environmental mapping missions over South, Central America and the Caribbean at the request of partner nations in the region.
Air Force defends against criticism on drone losses
Defense Daily
The Air Force is working to minimize crash landings of unmanned aircraft and will eventually incorporate an autonomous landing feature on its large drones, an officer who coordinates the service's unmanned aerial systems activities said last week in response to criticism of mounting losses.
Who's friending you next? The U.S. military
Las Vegas Sun
The U.S. military, long a champion of rigid, no-nonsense communications, is stepping into the freewheeling realm of social media. Nellis Air Force Base, for example, has started micro-blogging updates about the base on Twitter and is creating its own Facebook page.
War games with expensive toys
Strategy Page
The 'Red Flag', as it has come to be known, is the largest aerial combat-military training exercise in the world. The expensive toys involved in these games are the jet fighters, bombers and spy planes, which certainly do not come cheap (many costing $50-100 million each).
May 4
U.S. senators fire back in defense of F-22, C-17
Defense News
It is often alleged that military weapon programs are studied to death, but Senate supporters of three U.S. aircraft in peril are hoping to study their pet programs back to life.
Northrop Grumman delivers first operational B-2 bomber with new radar
Space Daily
Northrop Grumman has delivered to the U.S. Air Force the first operational B-2 Spirit stealth bomber to be equipped with a newly modernized radar.
May 3 airpower summary: B-1B bombs narcotics facility
Air Force News Service
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Undergrad pilots finish UAV training
Unattributed , Air Force Magazine Daily Report
The first three Air Force pilots selected to proceed directly to unmanned aerial vehicle training after completing undergraduate pilot training are now full-fledged UAV pilots, according to an April 28 release from UAV-central Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.
May 1
Washington Watch: Keeping up with the geezers; Combat air forces in crisis; after Manas
Air Force Magazine
Air Methuselah
Air Force depots have become geriatric wards due to the increasing age of USAF fleets and the need to keep them flying past their economic lifetimes, and the service has even had to start planning a life extension program for its newest fighter, the F-22, according to Air Force Materiel Command chief Gen. Donald J. Hoffman.
April 30
April 29 airpower summary: C-130s sustain war efforts
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
First 4th EFS block 40 F-16 hits 7,000 hours
4th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit
An F-16 Falcon assigned to the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed here from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, became the "first block 40" F-16 to surpass the 7,000 hour milestone during a recent combat mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Big day for small bomb
Air Force Magazine Daily Report
An Air Force F-15E released the GBU-53/B in flight. After safely separating from the aircraft, the weapon deployed its wings, performed a series of preprogrammed maneuvers, and flew to a pre-designated position, thereby meeting all of its primary test objectives, the company said.
April 29
Museum opens Thunderbirds F-16 aircraft exhibit
Air Force Link
The Museum of Aviation here will open to the public a permanent Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft exhibit May 3, the same day the Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team will perform at nearby Robins Air Force Base.
Civilian/U.S. Air Force collaboration prompts new play equipment
Goldsboro News-Argus
A conversation between two moms on the playground has turned into a new set of equipment being installed at their children's school.
ISR projects see $230 million boost in new FY-09 reprogramming
Inside Defense
Congress has approved a Pentagon proposal to shift $230 million in fiscal year 2009 to finance a range of high-priority intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs designed to enhance the delivery of full-motion video and signals intelligence capabilities in high demand among commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan.
April 28
Shaw AFB Fire Department garners Green Cross Rescue of the Year award
TradingMarkets.Com
Hurst, a division of IDEX Corp., announced Shaw AFB Fire Department of Shaw Air Force Base, SC as the recipient of the 2008 Green Cross Rescue of the Year Award.
Eglin AFB holding open forum
Northwest Florida Daily News
Eglin Air Force Base has scheduled its first in a series of public forums. Officials will hold a town hall meeting open to the general public at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, in the Crestview High School gymnasium.
ND nuke to be moved due to snowmelt
Associated Press
A nuclear missile will be removed from an underground silo in North Dakota because runoff from melting snow leaked into the facility, the Air Force said Tuesday.
First group of UPT pilots graduate from Predator training
AFNS
The first group of Undergraduate Pilot Training students completed the MQ-1 Predator Formal Training Unit's Initial Qualification Training Course here April 24.
April 23
Offutt celebrates Earth Day with bulb change
Associated Press
Offutt Air Force Base observed Earth Day in part by swapping out old light bulbs for the new energy-efficient compact fluorescent varieties.
April 22
Air Force sees next generation bomber buy secure despite Gates' delay
Defense Daily
A decision by the Pentagon earlier this month to reexamine a next generation bomber program does not indicate the end of the effort, a top Air Force general said yesterday.
April 21
Gates plans ISR boost for fiscal 2010
Aviation Week
Maxwell AFB, Ala. - One year after establishing an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) task force, Defense Secretary Robert Gates is continuing his push by outlining up to six new platforms that will be funded in his Fiscal 2010 budget proposal.
April 18
Pentagon budget threatens airpower, national security, expert warns
D.C. Examiner
When Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently unveiled his new military spending plan, supporters hailed it as "revolutionary."
April 17
Klotz gets nuclear nod
Air Force Magazine Daily Report
Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz to be commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, the new nuclear-centric major command that the Air Force is standing up to oversee its nuclear-capable bombers and ICBMs. Klotz has been assistant vice chief of staff since August 2007.
Air trained, ground tested
Las Vegas Sun
With his Humvee on fire after being ambushed by insurgents, injured Airman 1st Class Antonio Antunez pushed the squad's translator out a door, escaped through the turret and then, under fire and the only one with a weapon, led his team to safety.
Gates opts against changing plans for 76 B-52s
Defense Daily
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said this week he intends to stick with plans hashed out last year to maintain a full 76 of the Air Force's B-52 bombers, a welcome decision on Capitol Hill.
April 16
Military brass: United States Air Force Band flies into town
Herald Times Reporter (Manitowoc, Wisc.)
Members of The United States Air Force Band are putting down their weapons and picking up their instruments for a concert in Manitowoc.
Air Force Week comes to Langley and Hampton Roads
Daily Press (Newport News, Va.)
Residents in Hampton Roads will have plenty of reasons to look up starting Saturday.
F-35 to debut along Emerald Coast next week
Northwest Forida Daily News
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will make its inaugural landing on base Tuesday, April 21.
Military upgrades are coming, Biden tells Whiteman troops
Kansas City Star
Vice President Joe Biden had a succinct message Thursday for troops at Whiteman Air Force Base: "We owe you."
Biden speaks to airmen at Whiteman
Associated Press
With a B-2 bomber as a backdrop and surrounded by a sea of camouflage-clad troops at Whiteman Air Force Base on Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden thanked the soldiers for their service and said the country owes them a big debt of gratitude.
New general nominations include pick for GSC
Air Force Times
The Air Force general picked to lead the service's newest command is a Rhodes Scholar, Air Force Academy graduate and former Minuteman missile squadron commander.
Bomb drops on the rise again in Middle East
Air Force Times
For the third consecutive month the number of bombs dropped by Air Force, Navy and other coalition warplanes increased in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to Air Forces Central.
April 15
Wizards visit Whiteman Air Force Base
Kansas City Star
Apache helicopters and fighter jets were flying overhead, but the talk inside Whiteman's youth center had nothing to do with planes or military.
VIDEO: Program helps kids cope with parents' deployments
KSL, Salt Lake City, Utah (NBC)
Officers quiz Gates on F-35 buys, CSAR future
Air Force Times
Air Force officers got their first shot to ask Defense Secretary Robert Gates why he chose not to continue the F-22 program, but no one at Air War College fired a single question.
Gates warns of more changes to Pentagon priorities, hints at revised Air Force fleet mix
Defense Daily
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday that a pending review of the Pentagon's weapons portfolio could lead to significant changes beyond the suggested overhaul he announced last week.
Biden to stop at Whiteman Air Force Base Thursday
Associated Press
Vice President Joe Biden will be highlighting the military, alternative energy and higher education as he makes three stops in Missouri this week.
Adam B. Lowther: Nuclear deterrence keeps U.S. safe from adversaries
Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Neb.)
The writer, of Montgomery, Ala., is a faculty researcher and defense analyst at the Air Force Research Institute.
April 14
Air Force says no site picked UAVs
Macon Telegraph (Macon, Ga.)
Air Force officials say that no decision has been made on a depot maintenance site for its newest unmanned aerial vehicles, the Predator and Reaper.
Air Force officials agree on an Obama cutback
New York Times
Top Air Force officials said Monday that they supported the Obama administration.
April 13
An era begins closing on F-22
Washington Post
"We support the final four F-22s proposed in the fiscal 2009 supplemental request, as this will aid the long-term viability of the F-22 fleet. But the time has come to close out production.
April 12
F-22 fight on horizon
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Administration plan to end production of jet has Georgia, much of Congress furious.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week declared the F-22 Raptor, built in Marietta, dead. The Pentagon will buy only four more of the supersonic, super-expensive jets.
VIDEO: Hampton Roads Air Force Week
WVEC, Norfolk, Va. (ABC)
We will take off right now with the Air Force and a big, big event coming up this Saturday night.
Luke Air Force Base to get peek at F-35 cockpit
The Arizona Republic
As the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter prepares to roll off the production line, Luke Air Force Base pilots and community leaders will get an opportunity to check out a cockpit simulator next week.
VIDEO: Vago Muradian discusses Pentagon weapons program shakeup
This Week in Defense News with Vago Muradian (WUSA-DC (CBS)
Last week saw the biggest shakeup in Pentagon's weapons program for a generation. For months rumors have swirled about which programs were on the chopping block.
VIDEO: Georgia senators fight for F-22
WSB, Atlanta, Ga. (ABC)
Georgia's Congressional delegation is promising to fight to protect jobs at Cobb County's Lockheed Martin plant.
Gates Proposes Massive Spending Shift for Pentagon in 2010
Aviation Week
Some aerospace contractors have dubbed Apr. 6 "Black Monday," because of Defense Secretary Robert Gates's announcement that he plans to scale back or terminate dozens of Pentagon programs in order to reshape the U.S. military.
April 11
A daring punt
The Economist
More men at the expense of machines; more drones rather than top-end fighter jets and future bombers; more helicopters for combat troops rather than a replacement for the presidential chopper; more coastal vessels and fewer aircraft-carriers; better cyberdefences, but scaled-back missile defences and laser weapons.
April 10
Gates asked to overturn choice of base for GSC
Air Force Times
Nebraska lawmakers have asked President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to overturn the Air Force's choice for the headquarters of Global Strike Command in favor of Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
BLOG: Obama asks for stealth jets in Iraq, Astan budget (Updated)
Wired/Danger Room (blog.wired.com/defense)
Today the Obama administration unveiled what it promised would be the last "emergency," "supplemental" spending bill to cover the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Larson, Dodd take up F-22 cause
The Hartford Courant
Efforts to rescue the F-22 Raptor began almost as soon as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday he would order four more of the fighter jets and stop there. In the ensuing hours and days, congressional supporters of the stealthy but costly aircraft issued a blizzard of statements and letters vowing to drum up money for more F-22s -- production of which supports tens of thousands of jobs in scores of states -- whether Gates wants it or not.
OPINION : The Pentagon's new priorities
Wall Street Journal
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a man not known for having his head in the stars, announced his strategic Pentagon blueprint this week, saying his proposals "will profoundly reform how this department does business."
April 9
Admin's war-funding supplemental with F-22 funds expected today
Defense Daily
The Pentagon's final supplemental war-spending request for this fiscal year--a $75.5 billion proposal with funds for F-22 jets and mine-resistant vehicles--is expected to arrive on Capitol Hill today.
April 8
Air Force officials take delivery of first MC-12
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
Winning the fight from up high just got more advanced since the recent delivery of the MC-12 Project Liberty special mission turboprop aircraft.
Fighter slips by Pentagon reforms
The Australian
A MAJOR revamp of the $723 billion US defence budget will see the Pentagon dump big-spending equipment programs but retain the controversial $16billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program expected to be the backbone of the RAAF's air power late next decade.
April 7
Gates lays out key FY 2010 budget recommendations
Defense Industry Daily
On April 6/09, US Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates did something unusual: he convened a press conference to announce key budget recommendations in advance.
Media roundtable with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and General James Cartwright
Defense Link News
SEC. GATES: A couple of things to lead off.
VIDEO: Workers worry over future of F-22
WAGA-TV (Atlanta, Ga.)
Workers at Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Georgia plant are interviewed as talk over defense budget cuts loom.
April 4
April 3 airpower summary: B-1Bs deliver firepower
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
April 2 airpower summary: Reapers protect coalition forces
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations April 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
April 2
Southwest Asia power shift
Dailypress.com
At AFA's Orlando Symposium, top officers sketched out a future of heavy Air Force operations
New ISR asset to deploy in May
Air Force Magazine Daily Report
The Air Force now plans to send its newly acquired Hawker Beechcraft-built MC-12W intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft to Southwest Asia in May.
VIDEO: Global Strike Command base named
KSLA-SHV (CBS) - Shreveport, La.
The U.S. Air Force has selected Barksdale Air Force Base as the permanent location of the Global Strike Command. the global strike command will coordinate the Air Force's nuclear mission, and will be the tenth major command of the U.S. Air Force.
Local base is first choice for new unit
Shreveport Times (Shreveport, La.)
Barksdale Air Force Base and its supporters scored a coup Thursday with the Air Force announcing its selection as the preferred home of the new Air Force Global Strike Command.
F-16 fighters are heading to D-M for training program
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson's skies will see some extra military jet traffic from mid-April to early May.
April 1
F-22 vital for 21st century U.S. air superiority
UPI
F-22 displays combat superiority at high altitudes
Fighters typically have a shorter design life than cargo or other mobility aircraft because of the g-forces imposed during training and wartime fighter maneuvers.
Decision on Cyber Command pushed back
Dailypress.com
The Air Force may be nearing a decision that means a great deal to Hampton Roads in general and the city of Hampton in particular.
Iraqi Air Force chief says US officials supportive of purchasing F-16s
Reuters
Iraq wants to buy an initial squadron of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter aircraft this year to help guard against perceived threats from Iran and Syria after U.S. forces leave, the head of the Iraqi Air Force told Reuters on Tuesday.
Inside the war games For U.S. Air Force fighter pilots
Popular Mechanics
This week, warplanes from the Air National Guard 174th Fighter Wing will be flying training missions over the desert outside Nellis Air Force Base, trying desperately to compete during simulated combat over the high Nevada desert. Their foes are F-22 Raptors, stealth airplanes that can identify and destroy foes before their targets even know they are there.
March 31
F-22 displays combat superiority at high altitudes
UPI
The best place to be for evading surface-to-air missiles and moving through enemy fighters is at high altitude and high speed. Just how high and how fast depends on the threats.
March 30
Tackling floods and blizzards
Air Force Magazine
Among the US military forces dispatched to aid four states stricken by heavy flooding and snows are search and rescue crews and two HH-60 helicopters from Minot AFB, N.D.
Preserving options for 4th-generation buy
Air Force Magazine
The Air National Guard has a dilemma: Under current plans, the Air Force's purchase of fifth-generation aircraft to recapitalize the fighter force will not meet Air Guard needs since at least 80 percent of its F-16s will reach the end of their service lives in eight years.
Don't cut the bomber
Air Force Magazine
A bipartisan group of six Senators on March 26 sent a letter to President Obama urging him to preserve the next generation bomber (NGB) in the Fiscal 2010 defense budget.
March 29
March 28 Airpower Summary: A-10s show coalition power
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations March 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Air Force gets $1.4B in stimulus money
Air Force Times
Funding will go toward new housing, runway maintenance, wind energy, other projects.
March 28
March 27 Airpower Summary: F-15Es protects friendly ground forces
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations March 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Senators push for next-generation bomber
Defense News
The "next-generation bomber" is the latest weapon to acquire its very own congressional delegation.
ISR blimp would fly for 10 years uninterrupted
Air Force Times
A blimp that hovers at 65,000 feet and stays aloft for a decade is what the Air Force hopes within five years will revolutionize its intelligence gathering.
March 27
Ignorance makes the F-22 deadlier
Strategy Page, strategypage.com
The U.S. Air Force F-22 jet fighter is unique in many ways.
March 26
Outside view: Why F-22 is vital -- Part 10 and 11
UPI
Mobile missile launchers could threaten everything from an anti-satellite attack to use of nuclear weapons. Mobile launchers are notoriously difficult to pin down.
March 23
ISR operations: 'Eye in the sky'
Combined Air and Space Operations Center Public Affairs
"Complete adaptation to environment means death..."
March 22
Making a career of UAVs : First class in new training pipeline
Air Force Times
The Air Force has more questions than answers about a new pilot career field in unmanned aircraft.
March 18
Global Strike mission update
KGWN- Channel 5 (Denver, Co.)
The Global Strike Command Center will oversee all nuclear missions for the US Air Force. State and Local officials got back from Washington today.
March 17
Wilder Thunderbirds set for 2009: Upgraded F-16s inspire overhaul of stunts
Air Force Times
Get ready for the Thunderbirds to pull out all the stops this year with never-done-before stunts guaranteed to be make crowds "ohh" and "ahh" even more.
Air Force wows crowds at airshow down under
Pacific Air Forces Link
About 100 Airmen from across the Air Force recently flew 'down under' to represent the U.S. military and demonstrate aircraft capabilities at the 2009 Australian International Airshow March 13-15.
AUDIO: At Red Flag, the flying's real, but the enemy's not
Morning Edition (National Public Radio)
Click HERE to listen to audio
Since the 1970s, fighter pilots have flocked to Nellis Air Force base on the outskirts of Las Vegas for war games called Red Flag.
BLOG : Silent Eagle sneaks into the market
Aviation Week/Ares (www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense)
Boeing unveiled a stealthy version of the F-15, dubbed the "Silent Eagle" today at its St Louis plant. The aircraft has two conformal fuel tanks reconfigured to carry up to two air-to-air or air-to-ground weapons, and tail fins canted outwards 15 deg. to reduce radar cross-section.
March 16
U.S., Japan conduct bilateral training
Pacific Air Forces Link
This week's bilateral fighter pilot training demonstrates America's commitment to the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance, said the commander of the U.S. Air Force's largest combat wing.
U.S. still needed air superiority to win its recent wars
United Press International
Deterrence isn't in the daily headlines when Afghanistan and Iraq loom large, but behind the scenes, it's become a big preoccupation for the national-security leaders of the United States in the last few years.
Former Thunderbirds pilot 'an inspiration' for young girls
Air Force Link
Perched on a balcony overseeing an assortment of aircraft static displays, a young girl asked Maj. Nicole Malachowski, "Is it hard to be a pilot?"
Desert air show soars into Luke Air Force Base
The Arizona Republic
When the 2009 Thunder in the Desert Air Show soars into Luke Air Force Base, it will be bringing with it one of the most advanced planes in military history. The F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team will be taking to the skies to show off the precise maneuvering and advanced acrobatic capabilities of the world's only operational fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
Stealth fighter, bomber deployed to Guam for first time
Defense Professionals / defpro.com
For the first time, F-22 Raptors and B-2 Spirits, the only stealth platforms in the Air Force's current inventory, are deployed outside the continental United States to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, showcasing the U.S. commitment to peace and stability in the region.
Drones are weapons of choice in fighting Qaeda
New York Times
A missile fired by an American drone killed at least four people late Sunday at the house of a militant commander in northwest Pakistan, the latest use of what intelligence officials have called their most effective weapon against Al Qaeda.
F-16 shot down Iranian drone in February
Military Times
The Iranian unmanned aircraft downed by coalition forces last month in Iraqi airspace was shot down by an American F-16, according to an Air Force officer familiar with the operation who asked to remain anonymous.
Holloman expects more sonic booms from F-22s
MSNBC / KOB-TV (Albuquerque, NM)
Holloman Air Force Base says Tularosa Basin residents can expect more sonic booms next week.
Videogames in the F-22 cockpit
Strategy Page
The cockpits of the new F-22 and F-35 jet fighters look like a video game controller that just grew, and grew.
March 15
March 14 airpower summary: B-1Bs support ground troops
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations March 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
March 14
U.S. gives big dose of plane speaking
Canberra Times
Buyer beware is the message from a new United States Government Accountability Office report on the controversial Joint Strike Fighter.
Local, D.C. leaders lobby hard for Barksdale
Shreveport Times
Cyber, Global Strike Command were items on the agenda.
March 13
F-22 vital to maintain U.S. military supremacy in 21st century
United Press International
Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said, "It's way past time to re-examine our strategic thinking about deterrence."
Nellis AFB contributes billions to local economy
www.lasvegasnow.com
Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases bring billions of dollars into Southern Nevada. The bases employ thousands of people making them the county's second largest employer.
BLOG: U.S. jet shoots down Iranian drone over Iraq (updated)
Wired/Danger Room (blog.wired.com)
An American fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone as it was flying over Iraq, U.S. military sources in Baghdad tell Danger Room.
F-22 secrets revealed
Strategy Page
The U.S. Air Force has released some performance data on the F-22. The stealthiness factor of the F-22 has turned out to be better than predicted. For radar purposes, the F-22 is about the size of a steel marble.
F-35s on budget chopping block
WTTN (North Carolina)
Hungry budget cutters are eyeing some tasty targets at the Pentagon.
F-22 option against Iran
United Press International
Forward deployment of the F-22 Raptor could effectively deter Tehran's nuclear ambitions given recent Iranian interests in air defense, an analysis said.
Just how loud is the F-35? (With VIDEO)
NWF Daily News
Residents could learn firsthand if one of the jets visits Eglin
March 10
The makings of a warrior: Training pilots to fly America's next generation fighters
The Examiner
As the multi-role F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) makes its way from the world of flight testing to the operational realm, Lockheed Martin has already begun to develop the training program for the future generations of aviators who will one day take this aircraft to war.
F-15E pilots protect ground forces in massive firefight
AFNS
Ten Soldiers who earned Silver Stars and an Airman who will receive an Air Force Cross March 10 might not be alive today if it were not for Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Airmen providing crucial close-air support during an assault on an insurgent stronghold in Afghanistan's Shok Valley last year.
March 9
"Mr. B-52" Honored at Barksdale:
Air Force-Magazine.com
Officials at Barksdale AFB, La., have dedicated a new conference center in honor of retired Maj. Gen. William Eubank Jr.
Short Circuit Fells Predator:
Air Force-Magazine.com
According to the Accident Investigation Board reviewing the Aug. 1, 2008, crash of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle near Balad AB, Iraq, a short circuit caused electrical fluctuations to the UAV's primary control module and other critical components, resulting in the crash of the UAV.
March 8
AF Cross recipient called 'a flat-out hero': Airman gets Cross for bravery in Afghanistan
Air Force Times
When Staff Sgt. Zachary Rhyner woke up on that day almost a year ago, on his first deployment to Afghanistan, he thought it would be another round of hurry up and wait.
BLOG: The U.S. Army Air Force quietly reappears
Strategy Page: www.strategypage.com
Although the U.S. Army doesn't officially receive its first Sky Warrior MQ-1C UAVs until this month, they sent two of the prototypes to Iraq last year for testing.
U.S. Air Force defends bomber's emergency landing in Melbourne
ABC News
The B-1B Lancer Bomber was on the way to the Avalon Airshow, but was forced to land at Melbourne Airport instead because of a problem with its undercarriage.
March 7
Nellis Air Force Base: Remote-controlled SUVs serve as moving target practice for jets
Associated Press
Ponder if you will, an SAT question with a combat twist:
Air Force testing C-130s for defect; D-M included
Arizona Daily Star
Hundreds of Air Force C-130 planes -- including 22 assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson -- are being checked for possible cracks in the nuts that help fasten the wings to the fuselage.
Sonic booms may increase
Holloman Air Force Base announces flight schedule for next week
Alamogordo Daily News
Have you heard those intermittent sonic booms resonating throughout the Tularosa Basin lately?
Bomb comp week ends with performance awards
Shreveport Times
During the final event closing the 2009 Bombing and Navigation Competition, 8th Air Force named its Outstanding Airman of the Year and other top performers in an awards event Thursday night at the Riverdome.
March 6
BLOG: Guest Blog: Former USAF chief counters Young on CSAR-X
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp
Aviation Week last month published an investigative series by reporter Michael Fabey on the U.S. Air Force's embattled combat, search and rescue (CSAR) fleet and efforts to acquire a replacement aircraft, the CSAR-X.
Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force readies for earthquake
Associated Press
Airplanes and crews from Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force have temporarily moved to southern New Mexico's Holloman Air Force Base after warnings of a possible eruption of a volcano.
Demonstrators in Val-P: Air Force spat 'gone too far'
Destin Log
The sound of freedom had a different ring Friday morning as car horns blared on John Sims Parkway.
Wheeler, 2nd Bomb Wing head, stepping down
Shreveport Times
Col. Robert E. Wheeler, head of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, will relinquish his command March 23 and head to Missouri to head the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, the B-2 bomber unit there, the Air Force says.
March 3
U.S. Air Force goes stealth over Pacific
Australia Network News
The United States has begun operating two types of radar-evading aircraft for the first time in the Pacific.
UAV pilot career field could save $1.5B : Audit suggests eliminating 'unnecessary' training
Air Force Times
Having specifically trained airmen rather than manned aircraft pilots fly unmanned aerial vehicles could save $1.5 billion over the next six years, an Air Force audit found.
UAV graduate school opens
Air Force Times
Airmen flying remote-controlled planes now have a graduate school to attend.
March 2
VIDEO: Rescue crews join search for missing NFL players, boaters
AFNS
Valparaiso residents show opposition to lawsuit (with RESOLUTION)
NW Florida Daily News
At their meeting next week, city commissioners can expect to hear resistance to the city's plans to file a second lawsuit against the Air Force.
BLOG: Record Breaking Hogs
Strategy Page, www.strategypage.com
A U.S. Air Force unit (the 75th Fighter Squadron) in Afghanistan has set a record by flying 10,000 hours with their dozen A-10 aircraft (and 18 pilots) in a six month tour.
EDC launches campaign to support F-35s
NW Florida Daily News
The Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County has launched a campaign to ensure that supporters of the Joint Strike Fighter mission are heard.
March 1
New leadership takes over JSF program
Aviation Week
The multinational Joint Strike Fighter program is at a critical period - a nexus amid the push to boost production rates, establish training bases and test three variants of the design.
Feb. 27
VIDEO: Oprah Winfrey Show features: Military women in war
NBC Channel 2
Air Force gives Pentagon new F-22 purchase plan
Reuters
The U.S. Air Force's top general said Thursday he had put forward a fresh request for top-of-the-line F-22 fighter jets that would postpone an otherwise-imminent start to shutting down Lockheed Martin Corp's production line.
Feb. 26
Airmen assist with 2009 ESPN Bassmaster Classic
2nd Bomb Wing
The 2009 ESPN Bassmaster Classic allowed several Barksdale Air Force Base Airmen to reel-in a piece of the action Feb. 20 through 22 here.
Feb. 25
The Big 500K
The Predator unmanned aerial vehicles fleet surpassed the mark of 500,000 total flying hours Feb. 18 when an MQ-1 Predator flown by members of the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Creech AFB, Nev., eclipsed the milestone during a mission over Iraq.
Feb. 24
VIDEO: Jeopardy!
KASA - Albuquerque, N.M. (FOX)
VIDEO: Airmen participate on Chinese New Year parade
KTXL - Sacramento, Calif. (FOX)
Predator passes 500,000 flight hours
432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Airmen of the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing here flew an MQ-1B Predator unmanned aircraft in a combat mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Feb. 18, and the flight surpassed the 500,000 flight-hour mark for the aircraft.
More than 200 airmen back home email to a friend
Associated Press
About 260 Minot airmen are back with their families after a five-month deployment.
Exercise offers A-10 crews chance to hone warfighting skills
U.S. Joint Forces Command
Airmen are improving their warfighting skills as they train to conduct close-air-support missions for ground forces in preparation for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during Exercise Green Flag East here.
Feb. 23
OP-ED: DoD, make the hard choices
Defense News
In his inauguration address, President Barack Obama lamented "our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age."
Red Flag Exercises begin; Air Force training to last three weeks
Fox News 5, Las Vegas
If you notice more planes in the sky, it's because Red Flag exercises started Monday.
Feb. 20
Chief of staff sees UAS role expanding
12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
The Air Force chief of staff called the buildup of the unmanned aircraft system program "profoundly important" Feb. 19 during a visit with instructor and student aviators here.
Air Force efforts put nuclear security back on track
American Forces Press Service
Prioritization and "incredible attention to detail" have restored "nuclear surety" in the Air Force, the general in charge of the service's nuclear program said here Feb. 19.
Emerald Warrior trains more than 700 joint forces in special operations multinational exercise
AFSOC Public Affairs
Emerald Warrior '09, a U.S. Special Operations Command multi-national tactical exercise here, wrapped up Feb. 13 after 12 days.
Feb. 17
President Obama will decide the fate of F-22 this month
Lexington Institute
Sometime in the next dozen days, President Obama will make his first big decision about America's future military capabilities.
UPDATE 2-U.S. Air Force says needs more F-22 fighters
Reuters
The U.S. Air Force has determined it needs more Lockheed Martin Corp. F-22 fighter jets than have been ordered so far, but fewer than it previously sought, the service's top uniformed officer said on Tuesday.
VIDEO: Drones reach milestone
KTNV, Nev. (ABC)
VIDEO: Night exercises at Shaw AFB
WLTX. S.C. (CBS)
New Predator takes flight in Iraq
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
Army, Air Force overhaul joint ISR training
Air Combat Command Public Affairs
Feb. 16
Transformer war U.S. military aids cinematic fight against alien robots
Air Force Times
Troops from all four branches of the military are engaged in an epic battle in the sun-baked dunes of New Mexico's White Sands Missile Range.
Feb. 11
VIDEO: Global Hawk technology helps the Air Force
The last ace (part 1)
The Atlantic
The Doorstep of Oblivion
Over Cesar Rodriguez's desk hangs a macabre souvenir of his decades as a fighter pilot. It is a large framed picture, a panoramic cockpit view of open sky and desert. A small F-15 Eagle is visible in the distance, but larger and more immediate, filling the center of the shot, staring right at the viewer, is an incoming missile.
Career field for UAV operators is in limbo
Air Force Times
A new career field for sensor operators of unmanned aerial vehicles remains on hold until Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz can sign off on it.
Feb. 10
Feb. 9 airpower summary: B-1Bs protect ground forces
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Feb. 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Feb. 9
Predators on the hunt in Pakistan
Newsweek
After one of the latest U.S. Predator attacks in North Waziristan, a Taliban subcommander visited the site.
Feb. 5
The nuclear force revival
Air Force Magazine
With the release last October of the strategic planning document "Reinvigorating the Air Force Nuclear Enterprise," USAF unveiled a comprehensive plan to strengthen its handling of ICBM forces and nuclear-capable bombers. The service says that implementing this plan is top priority.
Feb. 2
VIDEO: Air Force plans on training 1,100 UAV pilots by 2011
KWTX-TV (Texas)
Feb. 1
VIDEO: USAF Thunderbirds interviewed before Super Bowl
FNC
Reapers make trip with pilots on ground
Alamogordo Daily News
Members from the 432d Wing completed a successful test flight from New Mexico Jan. 15 after flying an MQ-9 Reaper over Fort Irwin, Calif., training air space using remote split operations.
Jan. 31
VIDEO: 55th Fighter Squadron comes home
WACH-TV (S.C.)
Jan. 30 airpower summary: F-15E destroys enemy position
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations January 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Jan. 30
SF airman earns Bronze Star for Iraq actions
Air Force Times
Airman 1st Class Antonio Antunez was manning his .50-caliber machine gun in the lead vehicle of a four-Humvee convoy when the bomb exploded.
Jan. 29
VIDEO: Petraeus, Thunderbirds part of Super Bowl coin toss ceremony
Special Report With Bret Baier (FOX News)
Pilots, jets return to SC base from Iraq
Associated Press
Shaw Air Force Base is welcoming home members of a fighter squadron after a four-month deployment in Iraq.
Air Force officials to use prop planes as ISR platforms
Greene County Dailies (Ohio)
To better fill combatant commanders' needs for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Air Force officials will begin using a variant of familiar C-12 Huron turboprop planes as ISR platforms.
Air Force: Dogfighters out, warthogs in
Las Vegas Sun
Its nickname is "warthog."
Smaller 'Bomb Comp' to return, 8th Air Force says
Shreveport Times (La.)
In what may be a welcome return to the past for many old Air Force hands, the 8th Air Force plans to revive an old tradition, the annual Bombing and Navigation Competition, or "Bomb Comp."
Jan. 28
Air Force fighters to fly patrols supporting Super Bowl XLIII
AFNS
Air Force fighter pilots will be busy during Super Bowl XLIII as they will be flying to protect the sky around Raymond James Stadium Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla.
Jan. 27 airpower summary: B-1Bs provide overwatch
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
UAVs protect U.S. troops in Iraq
United Press International
Unmanned aerial vehicles have proven their worth in the war on terror as reconnaissance and surveillance platforms that provide battlefield commanders with real-time, optically enhanced streaming video of terrain, suspicious movements and intelligence-driven targets of interest.
Air Force officials to use prop planes as ISR platforms
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
To better fill combatant commanders' needs for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Air Force officials will begin using C-12 Huron turboprop planes as ISR platforms.
USAF confirms Project Liberty plans to deploy ISR aircraft
Jane's Defence
The U.S. Air Force publicly confirmed on 23 January that it has launched a crash effort to deploy 37 manned aircraft to Iraq and Afghanistan from April to aid high-value targeting and other tactical intelligence missions.
USAF to unleash 'Gorgon Stare' sensor in 2010
Flight Global
The US Air Force plans to a field a new sensor pod in 2010 that is expected to revolutionise tactical-level intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
VIDEO: Air Force will provide security for Super Bowl
WFLA, Fla. (NBC)
VIDEO: Terrible towels over Afghanistan
KDKA, Penn. (CBS)
Jan. 23
VIDEO: President Obama orders drone attacks in Pakistan
KTNV, Nev. (ABC)
Jan. 22
Sharing UAV feeds easier with new data link
Air Force Times
Army and Air Force leaders are working to create common standards for sending data to and from unmanned aerial vehicles, allowing imagery to flow more easily around the battlefield.
8th Air Force, RAND team up for seminar
Shreveport Times (La.)
Military leaders will convene at Barksdale Air Force Base Friday for a seminar on global deterrence presented by headquarters, 8th Air Force, and the RAND Corporation.
Jan. 21 airpower summary: Predators provide tactical reconnaissance
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 21, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Jan. 21
PHOTO: Raptor returns from mission
Associated Press
Jan. 20 airpower summary: F-15Es escort convoys
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 20, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
VIDEO: Utah Airmen deploy
KSL, Utah (NBC)
Jan. 20
DoD To Set UAV Standards By Summer
Goal: Common Data Links, Ground Control Stations
Defense News
The U.S. military services are working to create common standards for sending data to and from UAVs in an effort to allow imagery to flow more easily around the battlefield.
Support for more F-22 soars in Congress
Aviation Week
Even before President-elect Barack Obama to takes office Jan. 20, U.S. lawmakers are making a push in letters addressed to him to secure the future of the stealthy F-22 production line in Marietta, Ga.
Jan. 16
Departing JSF manager predicts no turbulence
Aviation Week
The departing program executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II program, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, is declaring proverbial clear skies ahead for the Joint Strike Fighter as he leaves for his new assignment - where he will some day receive the JSF.
Air Force sergeant gets Bronze Star for service
The Associated Press
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Patrick Ashford is being awarded the Bronze Star at Shaw Air Force Base for meritorious action during his service in Iraq.
Jan. 15
Air Force official calls UAVs critical
Middle East Times
A top U.S. Air Force official says unmanned aerial vehicle technologies are critical to air supremacy and succeeding in countering terrorism.
Eglin cop earns Air Force award
96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Senior Airman Ashley Tubbs didn't join security forces to change tires and work on vehicles. But that didn't stop her from taking those duties in stride during her deployment in Iraq.
Mountain Home airmen return home
KIVI-TV (Idaho)
About 300 Gunfighters from Mountain Home Air Force Base are scheduled to return at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning after more than four months of combat operations in Afghanistan, said Air Force Master Sgt. Brian Orban, superintendent of public affairs for the 366 Fighter Wing.
General says USAF is 'all in' on UAS
Aero-News Network
The Air Force is "all in" with regard to unmanned aerial systems, and the service's leaders understand Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' direction to field the systems in the combat theater as fully and quickly as possible, the commander of 12th Air Force and Air Forces Southern said January 12.
F-16s replace departing Apache helo unit
Stars and Stripes
Military officials announced Tuesday that F-16 jets, not A-10s, will replace a departing fleet of Apache helicopters in March.
Jan. 14
Chief of staff visits Hurlburt Field Airmen
505th Command and Control Wing Public Affairs
The Air Force's top officer met Airmen of Hurlburt Field and discussed the importance of command and control to the joint team Jan. 9 here.
Vice president-elect visits Airmen and Soldiers, meets Iraqi leaders at Kirkuk air base
506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
Vice president-elect Joe Biden visited Airmen and Soldiers stationed here and met local Iraqi officials Jan. 13.
Jan. 13
Airmen advise Iraqis on border security
Air Force Print News
Iraqi servicemembers are now charged to protect more than 2,268 miles of Iraq's border, including a 36-mile coastline, to prevent illegal entry of contraband, weapons and insurgents.
Red Flag adds 3rd week for more CAS practice
Air Force Times
The Red Flag aerial combat exercise that begins in late February at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., will expand from two to three weeks and will include a greater emphasis on close-air support missions.
U.S. Air Force battles to keep CSAR mission
Aviation Week
The U.S. Air Force has once again gone on the offensive to retain the combat, search and rescue (CSAR) mission following recent comments by Pentagon acquisition chief John Young that sparked further questions by the House Armed Services Committee (HASC).
Jan. 12 airpower summary: A-10s deter enemy actions
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Jan. 12
Raptors return to the Pacific (AFNS)
18th Wing Public Affairs
Six F-22 Raptors arrived at Kadena Air Base, Jan. 10, as part of a three-month deployment in support of U.S. Pacific Command's security obligations in the Western Pacific.
Robots could refuel JSFs on the flight line
Air Force Times
First, it was contractors doing airmen's jobs. Now, it's robots. The Air Force is trying to develop a robot that can refuel parked F-35 Lightning II fighters and hopes to start demonstration testing in 2010.
8th Air Force looks ahead to new year
Shreveport Times
The 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base made leaps and bounds in nuclear matters in 2008 and has an active 2009 planned, its leader says.
Lt. Gen. David Deptula U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR
Defense News
After more than three decades of shuttling between operational and intelligence assignments, Lt. Gen. David Deptula is trying to use his current job as the U.S. Air Force's deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to ease the "natural tension" between the two.
Jan. 9
Airman leads team in managing enemy's weapons cache
AFNS
An Airman with the Taji National Depot sees the war on terrorism succeeding every day as coalition forces collect and destroy enemy weapons here.
Jan. 8
Military morale 'goes through the roof'
USA Today
The United States military has declared war on giant, shape-shifting alien robots.
Jan. 6 airpower summary: F-15s bomb targets
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Afghan media learn about close-air support
AFNS
Members of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing and Bagram Airfield Media Operations Center hosted an Afghan media day Jan. 5 here.
Raptors head to Asia, but their role and future are cloudy
Norfolk Viriginian-Pilot
The morning fog burned off the runways at Langley Air Force Base on Wednesday morning, peeling one shroud from a line of jets known for their stealth.
First of 500 new homes open at Davis-Monthan
Associated Press
The first of more than 500 newly built homes at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson are now move-in ready.
More heroes added to portrait mural at Air Armament Museum
Northwest Florida Daily News
The Air Force Armament Museum's Afghanistan-Iraq War Memorial Portrait Mural grew a little larger this year.
Jan. 7
Lockheed seeks quick decision on F-22 fighter
Reuters
The incoming Obama administration must make a quick decision on whether to continue the F-22 fighter program, or risk beginning to lose critical suppliers, the Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) executive who runs the program told Reuters on Wednesday.
VIDEO: 27th Fighter Squadron deploys to Japan
WTKR (Va.)
F-22 Raptors depart for Japan.
Jan. 6
Lockheed Martin makes a defensive strike for the F-35
Dallas Morning News
Seven years ago, Lockheed Martin Corp. won a bitterly fought contract for what would end up being the world's most expensive fighter jet program.
Jan. 5
VIDEO: Moody Air Force Base brings out fighter jet for display
WCTV, Fla. (CBS)
For the first time in history, Moody Air Force Base is displaying one of its F-16 fighter jets for all to see.
Humble pilot in elite squad
Tri Valley Central (Ariz.)
You wouldn't know it from his rather unassuming demeanor, but former Casa Grande resident Austin Skelley recently joined a very exclusive club.
Jan. 4
Jan. 3 airpower summary: Tankers provide key fuel support
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Lockheed Martin: F-35 production on schedule for Eglin
NW Florida Daily News
Lockheed Martin's F-35 production is on schedule and nearing its goal of a 2010 delivery to Eglin Air Force Base.
Jan. 2
VIDEO: Future of F-22s
Dec. 23
Lockheed Martin unveils new F-35 model
Fort Worth Business Press
Lockheed Martin Corp. debuted the first model of the F-35A fighter, one of three variations of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, which are expected to enter service in 2010.
Sather Airmen destroy weapons cache
AFNS
Sather Air Base Airmen destroyed one of the larger enemy weapons caches to be collected at one time in the Iraq theater of operations.
Eglin Airmen test readiness during weeklong exercise
AFNS
Airmen of the 33rd Fighter Wing here tested their ability to respond anytime and anywhere in support of the nation's defense during an Operation Noble Eagle exercise in mid-December.
Air Force looks to keep more pilots grounded
San Antonio Express-News
The top Air Force flight school students often get the best shot at the hottest planes.
Dec. 22
UAS students graduate from inaugural class
AFNS
Nine lieutenants graduated from the first combat familiarization program for pilots slated to fly unmanned aircraft systems Dec. 22 at Randolph Air Force Base.
Predators on patrol in Afghanistan
AFNS
As the demand for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance assets in Afghanistan increases, a small group of Airmen at a base in the southern region of the country are working to meet the demand.
Dec. 21 airpower summary: F-15Es deter anti-Afghan forces
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Dec. 21, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Dec. 21
Are enlisted airmen next to pilot UAVs?
Air Force Times
The Air Force is desperate for UAV pilots, yet it stands alone among the services in its policy that only officers are allowed to fly large unmanned aerial vehicles.
Dec. 19
Work begins on advanced datalink for F-22
Aviation Week
The U.S. Air Force is developing requirements for the next upgrade of the F-22 Raptor following the decision to equip the fighter with a stealthy datalink under development for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
US Air Force seen delaying programs to fund F-22s
Reuters
The U.S. Air Force has made additional purchases of Lockheed Martin Corp F-22 fighters a top priority in its upcoming budget, and is ready to postpone other programs to pay for the supersonic jets, a defense consultant said.
ACC leaders discuss current, future challenges
AFNS
The commander of Air Combat Command and members of his A-staff spoke to 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen about current and upcoming events surrounding Air Force combat operations during an Airman's Call here earlier this month.
Dec. 19 airpower summary: A-10s protect coalition convoys
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Dec. 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Work Begins On Advanced Datalink For F-22
Aviation Week
The U.S. Air Force is developing requirements for the next upgrade of the F-22 Raptor following the decision to equip the fighter with a stealthy datalink under development for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
It's not just about more UAVs
Air Force Magazine
The Pentagon's push to send more and more unmanned aerial vehicles to satisfy ever-growing battlefield demands for intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance capability is exacerbating the problem, according to a newly released joint Defense Science Board-Intelligence Science Board report.
ACC leadership discusses current, future challenges with Balad Airmen
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
The commander of Air Combat Command and members of ACC's A-staff spoke to 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen about current and upcoming events surrounding Air Force combat operations during an Airman's Call here earlier this month.
Kowalski to Serve as Provisional AFGSC Head
Air Force Magazine
Air Force Secretary Michael Donley on Thursday announced that Brig. Gen. James Kowalski would be the commander of the provisional Air Force Global Strike Command. Kowalski currently is the Air Staff's deputy director for Global Operations.
Dec. 18
Airman paints UAV on White House tree bauble
Air Force Times
An Air Force reservist at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., had a hand in making this year's White House Christmas tree just a little more festive -- for what is more festive than a Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle?
Secretary announces provisional Global Strike commander
ACC
The secretary of the Air Force here selected a commander for the provisional Air Force Global Strike Command Dec. 18.
Air Force sending 2 dozen F-22s to bases in Pacific
Stars and Stripes
A different kind of fighter jet will be flying over Okinawa and Guam in January.
Raptors arrive
Alamogordo Daily News
Three F-22A Raptors arrived at Holloman Monday, Dec. 15, following a flight from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. A fourth aircraft is scheduled to arrive later in the week from Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
Dec. 17 Airpower Summary
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs
Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations December 17, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Dec. 17
4th Fighter Wing builds shelters to protect its Strike Eagle fleet
Goldsboro News Argus (N.C.)
Less than a month after Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz suggested the F-15E would be a viable airframe for another decade or more, crews at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base are working to protect the 4th Fighter Wing's Strike Eagle fleet.
Dec. 16
Cleveland chosen as host for U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
Port Clinton News Herald
Cleveland has been selected to host the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as headliners of the 2009 Cleveland National Air Show presented by Discount Drug Mart on Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 4, 5 and 6) at Burke Lakefront Airport.
Dec. 15
Air Force has big plans for Reapers
Air Force Times
By 2016, the Air Force wants to have 50 orbits -- round-the-clock combat air patrols -- flown solely by the MQ-9 Reaper, the highly lethal unmanned aerial vehicle, in the current war zones.
480th seeks new ways to get intel to troops
Air Force Times
While those who fly unmanned aerial vehicles have gotten much of the attention recently in the ISR world, it is intelligence analysts who do the critical work of turning data gathered by UAVs and other platforms into information that war fighters can use.
General Schwartz sees full spectrum of fly, fight, win
432nd Wing Public Affairs
Gen. Norton Schwartz and his wife Suzie visited Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases, Dec. 13, to meet with Airmen and get a first-hand look at operations.
Air Force elite jet team booked for resort air show
Bethany Beach Wave (Del.)
Organizers of next summer's OC Air Show have booked the U.S. Air Force's elite Thunderbirds jet team to perform, a coup for an event that has yet to make its sophomore showing.
Exercise Angel Thunder provides life-saving training
www.acc.af.mil
The largest personnel recovery exercise in the world, which included joint, coalition, interagency and international players, ended Dec. 12, at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., with 773 hours and 262 sorties flown, 25 recovery events completed and 890 people trained.
Dec. 14
Bolling picked as Global Strike temporary HQ
Air Force Times
Air Force leaders will stand up Global Strike Command's provisional headquarters at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., before a permanent location is chosen.
Dec. 13
Dec. 12 airpower summary: Reapers watch or strike
AFNS
Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Dec. 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.
Dec. 12
B-1B aircrews bring unique capabilities to the fight
AFPS
B-1B Lancer aircrews of the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron guard warfighters from high above Iraq and Afghanistan while carrying the largest payload of any aircraft in the theater.
Dec. 11
US Air Force seeks about 60 more F-22 fighters
Reuters
The U.S. Air Force is seeking to buy about 60 more top-of-the-line Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) F-22 fighter jets, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Wednesday, despite Pentagon efforts to end the program.
Dec. 10
A fighter jet's fate poses a quandary for Obama
New York Times
Two of President-elect Barack Obama's stated goals -- cutting wasteful spending and saving or creating millions of jobs -- are on a collision course in a looming decision over whether to keep building the F-22 fighter jet.
Gates expected to use new clout to scale back Pentagon weapons plans
Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Washington -- For months, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has criticized the Pentagon's spending priorities but has done little to change them, choosing instead to leave the most difficult decisions to the next administration.
Global money crisis a threat to military
Newport News Daily Press
America's fighting forces are not immune from the global financial crisis and that means more belt-tightening is ahead, the nation's top military officer told airmen at Langley Air Force Base on Monday.
Dec. 5
VIDEO: Pilots learn how to fly UAVs
Various News
Video 1
Video 2
Dec. 4
Kandahar team provides ammunition to win the fight
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
With a munitions stockpile of 560 line items worth more than $11 million, the job of providing weapons to warfighters at Kandahar Airfield falls to a three-man flight.
Predator combat air patrol named after former Tuskeegee Airman
AFNS
Nothing could be more fitting for the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, based at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, than to have an MQ-1 Predator combat air patrol named after one of its most famous Airmen.
Chambliss Senate win seen as boost to F-22 Fight for survival
Defense Daily
Georgia Republican and Senate Armed Services Committee member Sen.
Saxby Chambliss' Tuesday reelection victory ensures the F-22 stealth fighter maintains a diehard backer in Congress as the aircraft's future is debated, analysts said.
VIDEO: UAV training in San Antonio
Fox News (Texas)
Air Force plans to create fourth B-52 squadron at Minot by 2010
Stars and Stripes
The Air Force will stand up a fourth operational B-52 squadron, likely at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., by late 2009 or early 2010, according to Air Combat Command.
60th Fighter Squadron flies final sortie today at Eglin
Pensacola News Journal (Fla.)
The 60th Fighter Squadron is flying its final sortie today at Eglin Air Force Base where squadron members are celebrating the end of 37 years of air superiority.
Dec. 3
BLOG: Gates to nuclear force: Smooch!
Wired Blog/Danger Room
Defense Secretary Robert Gates started the week with a detour to Chicago -- where President-elect Barack Obama introduced Gates as his pick to head the Pentagon.
PICTURE: Moving in the right direction
Air Force Magazine
That is the view of the Air Force's ongoing efforts to "reclaim" excellence in its nuclear enterprise that Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed during a visit Dec. 1 to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.
Dec. 2
Bouncing back
Aviation Week & Space Technology
The U.S. Air Force is standing up a fourth operational B-52 squadron to work under the newly announced Global Strike Command as part of sweeping restructuring efforts to rejuvenate its nuclear capability.
Air Force wants new, cheap aircraft for irregular wars
Air Force Times
Air Force pilots have not flown propellerdriven fighters in combat since the Vietnam War, but that could soon change.
Gates promises Minot airmen money, attention
Air Force Times
Robert Gates became the first defense secretary to visit Minot Air Force Base on the same day President-elect Barack Obama tapped him to continue serving under Obama's new administration.
Nuclear mission vital to U.S. security, Gates tells Minot Airmen
American Forces Press Service
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates traveled here today to emphasize the importance of the Air Force's nuclear mission -- and in maintaining its long tradition of excellence -- to the men and women entrusted with carrying it out.
Delegation likes MAFB future
KXMC-TV (ND)
When Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz visited Minot Air Force Base yesterday, they delivered a message.
Dec. 1
Losing air dominance
Air Force Magazine
The Gulf War was a turning point--of a negative kind. It's been downhill from there.
For the first time in decades, the Air Force is in danger of losing its ability to guarantee air dominance.
Air supremacy in a downdraft
Air Force Magazine
The Air Force brand of air dominance has been around quite a while, so long that many now view it as a birthright.
High stress numbers game
Air Force Magazine
Demand is high. Systems and forces are few. How will the Air Force square the circle?
Focused lethality
Air Force Magazine
USAF seeks weapons with less boom but more precision and flexibility.
HAWG drops JDAM
Air Force Times
Fielding of the laser-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions reached a milestone in November when the bomb debuted on a Thunderbolt.
Elder sees growth at Barksdale
Shreveport Times
While a new Air Force B-52 squadron dedicated to nuclear missions likely will call Minot Air Force Base, N.D., home, training needs should add hundreds of jobs at Barksdale Air Force Base, its top general says.
Northrop Grumman wins Joint STARS radar modernization contract
Military & Aerospace Electronics
The U.S. Air Force awarded a risk reduction study contract to Northrop Grumman Corp. for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) Radar Modernization program.
Nov. 30
F-35 to become electronic attack aircraft
Aviation Week
After years of debate about the future of tactical, airborne electronic attack for the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps, it appears the F-35 will become the next-generation, digital warfare aircraft for both services.
D-M commander gives solar farm green light
Gannett News Service
Plans to power Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in sunny Arizona with solar power got a significant boost with the decision that the solar energy project did not require a lengthy environmental impact study.
Nov. 26
Better oversight of nuclear arms urged
Los Angeles Times
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, LA. -- The U.S. government must take steps to modernize how it keeps track of its nuclear weapons to help prevent mistakes, Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz said Tuesday on a visit to part of his service's nuclear force.
Nov. 23
AF chief: F-15 here for a while
Goldsboro News Argus (N.C.)
Gen. Norton Schwartz knows the F-15E is aging.
Nov. 19
Six Questions: Maj. Paul Kirmis, U.S. Air Force pilot
Las Vegas Sun
Nellis Air Force Base has the unique mission of hosting foreign militaries for combat training. In recent weeks, pilots from Singapore, Greece, France and Spain have flown over our valley.
Nov. 18
'From a Corvette to a Ferrari' / Hill delivers last two souped-up F-16s to Thunderbirds
KSL, Utah (NBC); Standard-Examiner (Utah)
The most recognizable symbol in the Air Force, the soaring F-16, will fly even higher thanks to some recent work at Hill Air Force Base.
Nov. 17
Special Report: DCGS integration backbone forges joint ISR ground
Defense Systems
The U.S. military has always sought to create advantages through situational awareness. But experiences in recent wars have placed a greater emphasis on receiving and integrating that information quickly.
Public affairs, strategic communications merge
Air Force Times
The Air Force is consolidating its public affairs and strategic communications functions.
Nov. 16
Full honors for bomber crew
Pacific Daily News
The six airmen who perished aboard a B-52 bomber that crashed in July as it was preparing to fly over Guam's Liberation Day parade were honored yesterday during a service at Arlington National Cemetery.
Nov. 15
Major international drill based at D-M to focus on rescue skills, coordination
Arizona Daily Star
To troops downed in combat, few sights are sweeter than the approach of military rescuers. In a few weeks, Tucson will be at the center of efforts to speed up that lifesaving process.
BAFB a strong contender for Global Strike Command HQ
Shreveport Times (La.)
Barksdale Air Force Base, home of most of the nation's strategic bomber fleet, is a strong contender to be the headquarters of a new Global Strike Command responsible for the service's nuclear bombers and missiles, sources in the nation's capital say.
Nov. 13
Air support unites Airmen, Soldiers in Afghanistan
Air Forces Central news team
Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers now assigned to the Kapisa and Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team meet Airmen responsible for close-air-support missions and toured the Bagram Airfield flightline to see the aircraft up close Oct. 28.
Lockheed gets funding for F-22
Washington Post
The Pentagon agreed to provide Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin with $50 million in "bridge funding" to buy parts for four more F-22 fighter jets.
Nov. 12
Funding for Lockheed F-35, Boeing system boosted In 2010 budget
Bloomberg News
Funding for the U.S. military's two most expensive weapons programs, Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Boeing Co.'s systems of vehicles, drones and wireless networks, is boosted in the proposed 2010 budget.
Air Force to request money for four F-22s
The Hill
The Pentagon has directed the Air Force to allocate up to $50 million to purchase parts for four additional F-22 fighters.
MAFB Air Force mock DUI
KFYR-TV, N.D. (NBC)
The Minot Air Force Base is taking a different approach to prevent drunk driving. They`re getting arrested for a DUI.
New UAS program at Randolph simulates air battle space
12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
A first-of-its-kind combat familiarization program for pilots slated to fly unmanned aircraft systems soon will launch at the 563rd Flying Training Squadron here.
Nov. 11
Air Force creates new pilot programs for drones
Associated Press
Scrambling to meet commanders' insatiable demands for unmanned aircraft, the Air Force is launching two new training programs, including an experimental one that would churn out as many as 1,100 desperately needed pilots to fly the drones over Iraq and Afghanistan.
U.S. building air bases to support drone flights
Craft must reach combat quicker in Afghanistan
USA Today
The Pentagon is building a series of air bases in eastern Afghanistan as part of its massive expansion of a system that uses drone aircraft to spy on and attack Taliban insurgents, according to interviews and documents.
Air Force training Navy pilots on UAS tech
United Press International
The U.S. Air Force is increasing efforts to address the call for more surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities through new training initiatives.
Nov. 9
Lawmakers to Air Force: Spend F-22 money now
Air Force Times
In September, Congress budgeted $523 million so the Air Force could continue buying parts and supplies for the next batch of F-22 stealth fighters. But the spending provision included a restriction: The Air Force could spend no more than $140 million until the next president decides whether to keep buying F-22s or end the program.
Nov. 8
VIDEO: Aviation Nation
KLAS-LV - CBS (Nev.)
Nov. 6
DoD wants mix of Predator, Reaper UAS in USAF fleet
Defense Daily
The Air Force will likely maintain a mixed fleet of large drones, despite service documents indicating a plan to eventually replace all of its MQ-1 Predator aircraft with the newer, larger MQ-9 Reaper, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer said last week.
Nov. 5
Raptor roulette
Air Force Magazine
"None of the funds in this act may be used to approve or license the sale of the F-22A advanced tactical fighter to any foreign government."
Task force to brief SECAF, chief of staff on 40-year drone roadmap
Inside the Air Force
Air Force leadership will determine the capability requirements for the successor to the popular MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft systems when service Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz are briefed by the Air Force Joint UAS Task Force, the task force's leader told Inside the Air Force last week.
Nov. 2
BLOG: U.S. warplanes destroyed by smart bombs
Strategy Page
Because fewer bombers are needed, the U.S. Air Force is sending 323 warplanes (137 F-15s, 177 F-16s and 9 A-10s) into early retirement.
Oct. 30
PACAF: B-52s deployed to Guam take part in exercise
Minot Daily News (N.D.)
B-52 aircrews from Minot Air Force Base deployed to Guam recently finished a flying exercise this month over the Pacific Alaska Range Complex. The exercise tested their ability to defend against air threats.
Admiral Mullen cites culture of change during address
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON -- Change is the cornerstone and is at the heart of every aspect of today's military, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told more than 800 Air War College students Oct. 28 at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
Oct. 29
U.S. military provides positive support
Las Cruces Sun-News, (N.M.)
Betty Dae Figueroa has been back in the Untied States for over two months, but fond memories of humanitarian work in the remote highlands of Peru still bring plenty of happiness to her life.
Shaw Air Force Base fghter wing gets new commander
Associated Press
The Air Force's largest combat wing of F-16 fighter jets is getting a new commander at Shaw Air Force Base in central South Carolina.
Oct. 28
PACAF: BUFF swap
Air Force Magazine
Nearly 300 airmen and more than five B-52Hs from the 23rd Bomb Squadron at Minot AFB, N.D., have deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, on a four-month rotation, relieving about 350 airmen and eight B-52s of the 20th BS from Barksdale AFB, La., which had been on the Pacific island since June.
Oct. 25
F-35 tests went 'remarkably well,' Lockheed Martin official says
Fort Worth Star Telegram (Texas)
Lockheed Martin's prototype F-35 Lightning II aircraft returned to Fort Worth on Friday after three weeks of test flights at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Oct. 24
US Air Force to reorganize nuclear commands after incidents
Wall Street Journal
The U.S. Air Force plans to establish a new Global Strike Command responsible for nuclear bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile forces, senior air force officials said Friday.
DoD takes wraps off Liberty Ship manned ISR fleet
Flight International
The US Department of Defense has unveiled new details of the previously secretive "Liberty Ship" programme, aimed at rapidly fielding dozens of specially equipped, manned surveillance aircraft to Iraq within one year.
USAF launches two new programs to attract UAV pilots
Aero-News Network
Specialized Program Wants Candidates With No Military Flight Experience
The urgent need for more personnel capable of operating unmanned aerial vehicles has led the US Air Force to launch two new training programs... including one bound to raise eyebrows in the fighter pilot community.
Oct. 23
REFILE-Lockheed awaits Pentagon OK for F-22 funds
Reuters
Lockheed Martin Corp is awaiting Pentagon release of $140 million to let the next president more easily extend production of the F-22 Raptor, designed to be the world's top combat aircraft.
Tucson Airmen part of US push to create good will in Latin America
Arizona Daily Star
Dozens of Tucson airmen will get a taste of life in Latin America through a new exchange program aimed at cementing U.S. ties with the Southern Hemisphere.
John Tyler grad helps Air Force's high altitude reconnaissance mission
Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)
The extremely tight security surrounding this remote air base in northern California seems out of place for the son of a Tyler couple stationed here. Earthtone buildings with high tech gadgetry are tucked into an area more fit for rattlesnakes and coyotes than for the men and women who call this place home.
Oct. 23
Air Force creates new pilot programs for drones
Associated Press
Scrambling to meet commanders' insatiable demands for unmanned aircraft, the Air Force is launching two new training programs, including an experimental one that would churn out up to 1,100 desperately needed pilots to fly the drones over Iraq and Afghanistan.
JASSM variant continues development with successful flight test
Defense Daily
The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) program is "back on track," and the new Extended Range (JASSM-ER) variant successfully completed an integration flight test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., last month, Air Force and Lockheed Martin [LMT] officials said yesterday.
Air Force asked to choose BAFB for nuclear command
Associated Press
Three Louisiana congressional members are asking the Air Force to make Barksdale Air Force Base the site of a new Nuclear Command.
Oct. 22
Air Force to grow RC-12 fleet In response to burgeoning ISR demand
Defense Daily
The Air Force plans to purchase and modify nearly 40 Beech C-12 Huron manned aircraft over the next year and could purchase even more of the lightweight twin turboprop planes in the following five years to provide more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to documents detailing the service's upcoming six-year spending plan.
Needed: 200 New Aircraft A Year
Air Force Magazine
It takes that many to make a modest reduction in fleet age. Getting there will be a neat trick.
When the Air Force's new leadership nominees sat at the witness table during their confirmation hearing this summer, the health of the force was foremost on the minds of many members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Oct. 21
State lawmakers push for enlarged Barksdale nuclear role
Shreveport Times (La.)
Senior members of the state Washington delegation, Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, Republican Sen. David Vitter and Shreveport Republican 4th District congressman Jim McCrery, have jointly asked the Secretary of the Air Force to enlarge Barksdale's nuclear role.
Local firefighters get Air Force training
KXMC (N.D.)
Some Minot firefighters are hoping they can turn "crash and burn" into "crash and live."
BLOG: U.S. warplanes destroyed by smart bombs
Strategy Page
Because fewer bombers are needed, the U.S. Air Force is sending 323 warplanes (137 F-15s, 177 F-16s and 9 A-10s) into early retirement.
VIDEO: Red Flag exercises underway Nellis AFB
KLAS - CBS (Nev.)
Revolution in the air: non-aviators to take flight
Aviation.com
On January 5th 2009, the United States Air Force will launch perhaps the most ambitious experiment in the annals of air warfare. For the first time in history, officers who have no aviation experience will learn to fly unmanned combat drones into battle without ever setting foot into a real aircraft.
Warheads on foreheads
Air Force Magazine
The USAF-led combined air and space operations center is helping craft an "airman's view" of counterinsurgency warfare.
Oct. 20
DARPA contract description hints at advanced video spying
Washington Post
Real-time streaming video of Iraqi and Afghan battle areas taken from thousands of feet in the air can follow actions of people on the ground as they dig, shake hands, exchange objects and kiss each other goodbye.
Oct. 16
BLOG: Reverse! Air Force Wants More Flyboys, Fewer Jets
Wired
Not too long ago, the Air Force was looking to cut 40,000 people from the service, to pay for more planes. Now: Reverse thrust! The Air Force brass wants to add an extra 13,000 flyboys by 2010. To help pay for the new troops, they'll retire more than 300 fighter jets early.
UPDATE 1-US Air Force Eyes Fighter Cuts To Boost Modernization
Reuters
The U.S. Air Force is seeking to retire early more than 300 fighter aircraft next year to save $3.4 billion in the hope of funding advanced Lockheed Martin Corp fighters and other modernization efforts, a published report said on Wednesday, citing internal Pentagon documents.
Oct. 14
Davis-Monthan boneyard scene for Transformers
Air Force Times
The most secret operation on any Air Force base in the past week may have been the filming of the "Transformers" sequel at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
350 airmen return to SC after southwest Asia tour
Associated Press
Three hundred and fifty airmen with the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron returned Monday after serving about six months in southwest Asia, a base spokesman said.
Finding Pilots Who Won't Fly
Stars And Stripes
Wanna fly? Safely, from the ground?
Oct. 12
Sun Rising On Plans For Unmanned Planes; Air Force eyes new drone types, growing fleet
Stars and Stripes
In July, the Air Force's newest unmanned plane, the MQ-9 Reaper, flew its first mission over Iraq.
Oct. 10
Hill Air Force Base to break ground on 550-acre research park
Salt Lake Tribune
Hill Air Force Base will host a groundbreaking Friday for the new 550-acre Falcon Hill National Aerospace Research Park.
Oct. 7
B-2 Bomber fleet to get digital makeover by 2013
Defense Daily
Northrop Grumman's [NOC] effort to upgrade the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber's computer and electronics systems is well under way, the company said recently.
Oct. 6
US Air Force to inspect, repair aged A-10 aircraft
Reuters
The U.S. Air Force on Friday said it would immediately inspect and repair about 130 A-10 attack aircraft due to fatigue-related cracks in their wings, saying the move illustrated the advancing age of its fleet.
BLOG: Air Force's New 'Killer Zombie' Drone
Wired
Armed Predator and Reaper drones have become the primary weapons in the fight against Pakistani militants. But they can be pricey; the Reapers come in at around a hundred million dollars each. Which is why the Air Force is working on a cheaper option: killer zombies.
U.S. military to deploy more surveillance planes to Afghanistan
The Christian Science Monitor
The military is expanding the number of airplanes for reconnaissance and surveillance in Iraq and Afghanistan in response to demands from the Pentagon chief to assume a "war footing" in getting more planes into the air.
Oct. 4
Cracks Spur Grounding Of Many A-10s
Arizona Daily Star
Nearly three dozen of the warplanes flown from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base have been grounded indefinitely after the Air Force found wing cracks in part of the service's aging fleet.
Oct. 3
USAF Looking To Buy Back Semi-Retired B-52 Stratofortress Bombers
Inside the Air Force
The Air Force wants to reactivate a squadron of semi-retired B-52 bombers as part of an effort to place more emphasis on the service's nuclear mission through a rotational construct, Inside the Air Force has learned.
Top cover: Airpower integral to ground force's success
Air Force Link
Pilots on board F-15E Strike Eagles helped turned the tide as Army Soldiers fighting terrorists in Afghanistan were pinned down and needed assistance in mid September.
Inspections Ordered For A-10 Thunderbolt IIs
Air Force Link
Air Force officials have issued a time compliance technical order requiring immediate inspection and repair of wing cracks for a portion of the A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet.
Oct. 2
Bill to give $17 million to Moody Air Force Base
WALB - NBC (Ga.)
VALDOSTA, GA - A defense bill just approved by the House and Senate will provide nearly $900 million for Georgia military.
Oct. 1
BLOG: Pentagon Swaps Killer Drone For Hollywood Access
Wired
The Air Force's latest killer drone, the MQ-9 Reaper, plays a key role in the new action flick Eagle Eye. "She's an amazing aircraft," says director D.J. Caruso. But shooting the drone meant getting Pentagon permission, Caruso says...
Training Brings Foreign Aircraft To D-M
Arizona Daily Star
War birds from Belgium and the United Kingdom will be seen and heard in the city's skies in coming weeks as the base ramps up for Operation Snowbird, the annual winter training program for allied and domestic pilots.
Dyess Gets $61 Million In Spending Bill
Abilene Reporter News (Texas)
More than $60 million in federal spending at Dyess Air Force Base is in the 2009 Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance and Continuing Appropriations bill passed by the Senate, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced today.
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