Lest anyone misunderstand the severe need for new Air Force equipment, Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, said Wednesday that the service is in the midst of the largest recapitalization effort in its history. Larger than post-Vietnam. Larger than what...

Gen. Michael Moseley, speaking at AFA’s Air & Space Conference Wednesday, said that the Air Force’s top five acquisition priorities (the next-generation tanker, new search and rescue helicopter, space systems, the F-35, and the next-generation bomber) are “but a step...

The Air Force is considering deploying CV-22 Ospreys even before they technically reach initial operational capability. Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, said Wednesday this action might be needed to avoid any capability gap as the small and ancient fleet...

The Air Force’s airlift plans are in chaos because of cost issues on the C-5 reliability enhancement and re-engining program, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday. “The truth is, we bet on the C-5M [the RERP-ed version] and that’s looking...

Responding to Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne’s prediction that the C-5 RERP will incur a Nunn-McCurdy breach, and Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley’s comments that the Air Force and Lockheed Martin have different views of just what the cost...

The F-22 has been judged “effective, suitable, and mission capable,” according to the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center. AFOTEC just completed Phase II of the Follow-On Operational Test and Evaluation of the Raptor, a “significant milestone in terms...

Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin’s F-22 program manager, said the company will have to see some money in the Fiscal 2009 budget if the F-22 is to go beyond 183 aircraft. Congress approved a multiyear buy for the F-22 and all...

The Air Force simply won’t consider buying any more C-17 transports if it would get in the way of buying replacements for KC-135 tankers, Air Mobility Command chief Gen. Arthur Lichte told reporters Wednesday during AFA’s Air & Space Conference....

If the C-5 upgrade is going to require spending almost as much per airplane as buying new C-17s, then the nation should go with the C-17s, AMC chief Gen. Arthur Lichte told reporters in Washington Wednesday. The justification for hanging...

Things will get very ugly very quickly if there is much delay in the KC-X tanker replacement program, AMC chief Gen. Arthur Lichte told attendees Wednesday at AFA’s Air & Space Conference. A protest of the award—now expected in January—coupled...

New Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Arthur Lichte so far hasn’t gotten a straight answer about the next round of mobility studies. He told reporters Wednesday at AFA’s Air & Space Conference that he doesn’t know whether it will be...

The Air Force is drafting a proposal for a new concept of operations for theater intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, Lt. Gen. David Deptula, deputy chief of staff for ISR, said Tuesday in Washington at AFA’s annual Air & Space Conference....

Northrop Grumman executives feel the company could field a next-generation long range strike aircraft meeting the Air Force’s “2018 bomber” requirements as soon as 2015—but only if the funding profile changes. The way the money is currently forecast, an in-service...

Even with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter low looming large on the horizon, a senior Lockheed Martin official said on Wednesday that he still anticipates the company will receive international orders for perhaps 80 to 100 additional F-16s before everything...

Lockheed Martin has reimbursed the Air Force the $265 million it inadvertently overcharged the service for F-35 development, with interest, company spokespersons said Wednesday. The repayment was not in the form of discounts on future purchases, foregoing progress payments, or...

Whether the US is prepared or not to fight in the cyberspace domain is irrelevant, said Lani Kass Wednesday, because we have no choice but to fight. Kass, a special assistant to the chief of staff and a key architect...

As special assistant to the Air Force Chief of Staff and leader of the Cyberspace Task Force, Lani Kass has been asked, on occasion, to estimate how many people in the Air Force are participating in “cyberspace efforts” right now....

Both competitors for the Air Force’s KC-X tanker replacement program gathered panels of retired Air Force officers this week at AFA’s Air & Space Conference to extol the virtues of their aircraft. The Boeing panel argued that the 767 is...

The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star Medals to three explosive ordnance disposal technicians for their actions in Southwest Asia. They are: SSgt. Jeremiah Grisham, SSgt. Dustin Heines, and SSgt. David Lutz. All three are assigned to 99th Civil Engineer...

Sept. 24, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 19 8 27 CAS/Armed Recon 46 43 89 Airlift 150 150 Air refueling 47 47 Total 65 51 197 313 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance Airlift includes Horn...