Going Civilian a Bit Premature: According to the Deseret Morning News, the Air Force Audit Agency has concluded that the civilian security guards hired by the Air Force shortly after 9/11 to help relieve airmen from working entry stations at US bases had not been properly vetted. The News reports that an audit revealed that one in six were not weapons qualified and 45 percent lacked required pre-employment background checks. The newspaper says the Air Force has started correcting the problems.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.