Daily Report

Nov. 24, 2009

Surging On

Just last week, a senior Air Force official said the service had a total of 37 continual combat air patrols of remotely piloted vehicles supporting the fight in Southwest Asia. On Monday, service officials updated that total: it now stands...

Keeping It Outside

Pentagon weapons czar Ashton Carter on Monday reiterated that the Defense Department will not factor a World Trade Organization interim ruling against European aircraft maker Airbus in the Air Force’s KC-X tanker competition. “The only action we can take at...

Farewell Tour

Gen. Robert Kehler, Air Force Space Command boss, earlier this month visited F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., Malmstrom AFB, Mont., and Minot AFB, N.D., to spend one last time with each of the service’s three Minuteman III ICBM missile wings before...

Another C-130J for Ramstein

Lockheed Martin on Nov. 19 delivered to the Air Force the eighth of 14 C-130Js transports destined for the 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein AB, Germany. Brig. Gen. Mark Dillon, head of the wing, accepted the aircraft at Lockheed’s plant...

F-35 and the Rising Sun

Japan is reportedly now setting its sights on acquiring 40 F-35s next decade and not F-22s to replace its aging F-4 fighters. The Kyodo News reported Monday (via The Japan Times) that the Japanese defense ministry is preparing to make...

Milestone for Strike Eagle Flier

Capt. Ryan Bone, an F-15E weapons systems officer with the 335th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., on Nov. 22 reached 1,000 flying hours in the backseat of the Strike Eagle during a mission over Afghanistan. “It feels good...

Bronze Stars for Maxwell Airmen

Lt. Col. Duston Ashton and Maj. Nichole Oliver, both of Air University’s LeMay Center at Maxwell AFB, Ala., on Nov. 13 received Bronze Star Medals for their meritorious service during deployments to Iraq. Ashton, an instructor in the LeMay Center’s...

Italy Wants Reapers

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Nov. 18 of a possible foreign military sale to Italy of two unarmed MQ-9 remotely piloted vehicles, one ground control station, and all associated equipment and support services. The total value of this...

Air Sorties 112409

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, Nov. 18-19, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 59 62 121 15,208 CAS/Armed Recon 38 154 192 31,484 Airlift 313 313 43,574 Air refueling 90 90 15,486 Total 716 105,752 OIF=Operation Iraqi...