Among the top awards presented during this week’s annual AFA Air & Space Conference in Washington was the H.H. Arnold Award, presented to Air Combat Command boss Gen. Ron Keys, who is retiring this fall, for the most significant contribution by a military member to national defense. The W. Stuart Symington Award went to Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne for the most significant contribution in the field of national defense by an Air Force civilian. Lockheed Martin and Boeing garnered the John R. Alison Award, presented for industrial leadership in national defense, for their development of the Atlas V and Delta IV, respectively, and other launchers.
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…