Daily Report

July 9, 2009

Wyatt Weighs in on F-22

Given the nature of current and future threats, particularly seaborne cruise missiles, the F-22 is clearly the fighter of choice to protect the American homeland, Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt, director of the Air National Guard, has told Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.). “I am fond of saying that ‘America’s most important job should be handled by America’s best fighter,’” Wyatt told the Senator in a June 19 letter that has just been made available publicly. Wyatt’s comments came in response to Chambliss’ request for him to weigh in on the air sovereignty alert mission. The future viability of the mission has come under question by GAO and in Congress due to the Air Force’s current retirement plans for its legacy fighters, its intent to stop F-22 production, and the desire to use new F-35s to fill any voids. Wyatt wrote that while “a variety of solutions abound,” legacy fighters just cannot handle the full spectrum of threats facing the homeland like the F-22 could with its “unique capability.” While he said he is “keenly aware” of the strain on resources caused by current economic woes, he believes that the nation can maintain its vitality “by making smart choices” [his emphasis]. In his view, this would entail “basing F-22s (and eventually F-35s) at strategic ANG locations” throughout the US, “while simultaneously making them available to rotationally support worldwide contingency operations.” With this letter, Wyatt joins Air Combat Command head Gen. John Corley in making an unambiguous argument for more F-22s than just the 187 that the Pentagon plans to buy.

North Tapped for PACAF

The Air Force announced yesterday that Lt. Gen. Gary North, who has directed the air wars in Afghanistan and Iraq since February 2006, has been nominated by the President for promotion to four-star general to command Pacific Air Forces. If...

Johns Eyed to Lead AMC

President Obama yesterday formally nominated Lt. Gen. Raymond Johns for a fourth star to be the next commander of Air Mobility Command, replacing Gen. Arthur Lichte, who is expected to retire. Johns has been serving as deputy chief of staff...

Cause of Airmen’s Death Identified

SSgt. Kenneth Wilburn, a combat controller apprentice from Union, S.C., who died Jan. 12 after losing consciousness three days earlier during water skills training at Lackland AFB, Tex., suffered a cardiac arrest, which led to irreversible brain injury, according to the findings of Air Combat Command’s investigation into his death. ACC released these findings on Tuesday. Wilburn, assigned to Lackland’s 342nd Training Squadron, lost consciousness Jan. 9 while treading water in a training pool. He did not respond to emergency life-saving efforts on the scene and never regained consciousness at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He was removed from life support three days later. He was 30. (ACC’s release) (Accident investigation board report; caution, large file)

New Manas Deal Takes Effect

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on Tuesday signed into law the new agreement that allows the US military to keep using Manas Air Base as a major airlift hub from which to sustain its forces in Afghanistan and support the US...

Malmstrom Upgrades Funded

Montana’s two Senators, Sen. Max Baucus (D) and Sen. Jon Tester (D), announced Tuesday that more than $17 million in upgrades eyed for Malmstrom Air Force Base were approved as part of the previous day’s mark-up of the President’s Fiscal...

Inside the Wire

Beginning Aug. 1, all newly arriving military families at Kadena AB, Japan, will be required to reside on base under a new policy aimed at saving Uncle Sam a heap of money each year and filling the base’s family housing...

Airman Receives Bronze Star

Maj. Todd Andre, an airman who has just completed a year-long deployment to Southwest Asia, last week was presented with a Bronze Star Medal for his service there. KVBC TV News of Las Vegas reported July 6 that Andre received...

Lyles Tapped for DSB Vice Chair

The Defense Department has named retired Air Force Gen. Lester Lyles as the vice chairman of the Defense Science Board. The former commander of the Air Force Materiel Command will serve with former DOD acquisition and technology czar Paul Kaminski,...

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest Asia

July 5, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 24 24 48 7,651 CAS/Armed Recon 8 61 69 17,801 Airlift 120 120 25,251 Air refueling 35 35 8,427 Total 272 59,130 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance...