The F-35 Lightning II completed its first self-powered ground taxi test on Dec. 7 and is on its way to a last series of tests before first flight, per a statement from prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Lockheed spokesman John Smith...

Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, who visited airmen at Balad AB, Iraq, on Dec. 9, said during a town hall meeting that he is impressed with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s mission statement: “Combat airpower for America, right here, right...

Just as the new Air National Guard chief predicted in September, the Ohio ANG’s 178th Fighter Wing at Springfield, Ohio, will be teaching Dutch airmen how to fly the F-16. The Air Guardsmen, who face the loss of their F-16s...

West Va. Gets First C-5, and More: The West Virginia Air National Guard’s 167th Airlift Wing has received its first C-5 airlifter, the result of a deal struck in 2002 that is to base 10 of the mammoth cargo aircraft...

Two Fairchild AFB, Wash., airmen, both explosive ordnance disposal technicians, have received medals for heroism while deployed to Iraq. TSgt. Jesus Hernandez received a Bronze Star and SrA. Amos Smith an Army Commendation Medal with “V” device. Hernandez led 93...

Sioux Falls, S.D. residents are worried that the F-16s flown by the South Dakota Air National Guard’s 114th Fighter Wing could go away despite the fact they were spared under BRAC 2005. The new concern is that the Air Force’s...

The coveted “Best of What’s New” for the year awards from Popular Science include, for 2006, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II and the recently de-cloaked Polecat unmanned aerial vehicle. Popular Science evaluates thousands of products each year to find those...

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid a surprise visit to troops in Iraq this past weekend, thanking them for their service as he prepares to leave office. Hundreds of US forces lined up to take pictures with Rumsfeld, who told them,...

The US will take over a Romanian air base—Mihail Kogalniceanu near the Black Sea—where, beginning in April, up to 1,500 American troops will train, reports Associated Press news service. US and Romanian officials a year ago worked out the basics...

It took until the wee hours on Saturday morning, but the Senate approved the “omnibus” Veterans Affairs $3.2 billion bill, followed Friday’s House passage of the legislation. The bill, which now goes to President Bush, funnels $600 million into the...

The Veterans Affairs omnibus bill (see above) also contains a provision inserted by Sen. Larry Craig, (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, to have the remains of double murderer Russell Wayne Wagner removed from Arlington National Cemetery. Wagner’s...

Dec. 8-10, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 47 27 74 CAS/Armed Recon 92 130 222 Airlift 390 390 Air refueling 92 92 Total 139 157 482 778 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance