Despite assurance from Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the F-35 restructure would not alter initial operational capability dates for the Marine Corps (2012), Air Force (2013), and Navy (2014), Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) asked Feb. 24 at the House Appropriations...

The Air Force expects to send Congress in March the first of five reports on the planned fighter force restructure. That’s the word from Maj. Gen. David Scott, who told the House Appropriations defense panel Feb. 24 that the service...

The Space and Missile Systems Center on Feb. 25 awarded the contract for the next-generation GPS control segment, known as OCX, to Raytheon. The contract’s initial value is $886 million, with sustainment options that could take it to $1.5 billion...

No initial widespread damage was reported from Kadena AB, Japan, shortly after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck in the vicinity, Air Force officials said Friday. The earthquake struck the ocean floor about 50 miles east-southeast of Okinawa at 5:31 a.m....

Trying to get a handle on the problems that led to the F-35 program restructure, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) asked Feb. 24 at the House Appropriations defense panel hearing on combat aircraft, “Give us a little flavor of what the...

Maj. Gen. David Scott told the House Appropriations defense panel Feb. 24 that the Air Force still plans to purchase 1,763 F-35 strike fighters despite the planned program restructure because it is “the critical to the backbone of our Air...

Six months after officially earning a new A-10 mission, airmen of the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing at Selfridge ANGB successfully completed their first deployment, traveling to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., for a four-week exercise. “This deployment sets us up...

Airmen of the 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, flying aboard Army CH-47 helicopters with two USAF tactical air control party airmen, were among the first on the scene following a series of avalanches in Afghanistan’s Salang Pass in early February. The...

The West Virginia Air National Guard’s 167th Airlift Wing will be transferring its aeromedical evacuation squadron to the West Virginia ANG’s 130th AW, reports the Charleston Gazette. The 167th AW, in Martinsburg, converted to C-5s from C-130s so can no...

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, Feb. 22, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 23 34 57 3,022 CAS/Armed Recon 4 79 83 4,643 Airlift 176 176 8,484 Air refueling 44 44 2,186 Total 360 18,335 OIF=Operation Iraqi...