Daily Report

The first six of 21 F-16 fighters will depart Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, today, as part of USAF's 2010 legacy fighter drawdown. The next increment, another six, will leave April 30, with all 21 slated to depart by the end of May. The Minnesota Air National Guard's 148th Fighter Wing will receive 20 of the Spang Block 50 aircraft, which are newer models than the Air Guard unit currently flies. The other Spang Viper is destined for Edwards AFB, Calif. As part of the fighter drawdown at Spangdahlem, the 52nd Fighter Wing plans to merge its 22nd Fighter Squadron and 23rd FS into one slightly larger squadron. Reports that the new unit would be a resurrected 480th FS may have been premature, because Lt. Col. Aaron Piepkom, Spang's CAF restructure project officer, referred to that as "one proposal" in an April 26 release. (52nd FW report by SrA. Kali Gradishar)

DARPA officials reported late Friday that the hypersonic test vehicle-2 (HTV-2) launched April 22 via a Minotaur IV Lite from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., failed to complete its 30-minute glide over the Pacific Ocean. An April 23 DARPA release states that...

The Obama Administration will reveal the exact composition of the Triad—how many bombers vs. ICBMs vs. SLBMs—with submission of the New START treaty to Congress, “hopefully in the next several weeks,” James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy,...

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) questioned what has changed since Gen. James Cartwright, now Joint Chiefs vice chairman and formerly head of US Strategic Command, said nine months ago he would be “very concerned” over taking the Triad below 800 delivery...

The new START treaty has eliminated what are known as “phantom strategic delivery vehicles,” James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, told the Senate Armed Services Committee at an April 22 hearing on the nuclear posture review. Miller...

Gen. Kevin Chilton, head of US Strategic Command, does not believe that a conventional ICBM or SLBM could substitute for a nuclear deterrent. James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, had just told Senators during an April 22...

Earlier this month Malmstrom AFB, Mont., served as the site for the inaugural meeting of the Air Force Global Strike Command-initiated ICBM Sustainment General Officer Steering Group, reports Associated Press (via CBS 4 TV). According to a Malmstrom release, Ann...

An Alarm Response Team detained the man who climbed the fence around an ICBM launch facility near Parshall, N.D., within 15 minutes of first observing him after he set off the LF’s alarm on April 15. Security forces from Minot...

When the Air Force’s newest C-17 airlifter arrived April 21 at its home at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., from the Boeing production facility at Long Beach, Calif., it joined the unit that also operates the oldest C-17 in USAF’s inventory. The...

Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing test fired a Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS) II April 22 at its Peterson AFB, Colo., base in preparation for the 2010 wildfire season. The wing has sent some 115 operations and maintenance...

Among the five military facilities accorded the Commander in Chief’s installation excellence awards is Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. According to an April 23 Pacific Air Forces release, Elmendorf was pitted against Dover AFB, Del., in the final round. PACAF noted it...

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, April 20, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 24 41 65 6,741 CAS/Armed Recon 20 87 107 10,181 Airlift 183 183 18,679 Air refueling 51 51 4,666 Rescue 37 37 1,407 Total...