The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron is slimming down its maintenance processes to fit the arrival of the new C-17 airlifter to Hickam AFB, Hawaii, where the airlifters will be operated jointly by active duty and Guard personnel. Boeing officials recently spent a week at Hickam conducting a Lean Concepts Workshop, indoctrinating the Guardsmen in the standard 120-day inspection cycle used for preventive maintenance on the C-17. The base has four of the eight new aircraft it will operate.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…