Daily Report

March 17, 2010

Triad Remains

The United States intends to maintain a strategic nuclear deterrent force of ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers under a START follow-on agreement with Russia, James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, told House lawmakers Tuesday. Testifying...

Not Enough Tankers

The US military does not have enough aerial refueling aircraft to meet demand from all warfighting scenarios it assessed out to 2016, according to the findings of the Pentagon’s new mobility study. The Defense Department currently fields a force of...

Devil in the Details

It’s fair to say, that US and Russian negotiators hit “some bouncy patches” in the past several weeks in hashing out the details of the START follow-on agreement to reduce each side’s strategic nuclear forces, James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary...

More Than Enough C-130s

Mobility Capabilities and Requirements Study 2016, the Pentagon’s in-depth look at its transport future needs, shows that the US military currently has more C-130 transports than it requires. The existing inventory stands at 401 tails, a number that exceeds the...

Enter the Dragon Spear

Air Force Special Operations Command is currently fielding four MC-130W Combat Spear special-mission aircraft that are modified with a precision strike package (PSP) that gives them a gunship-like attack capability, Adm. Eric Olson, head of US Special Operations Command, told...

Osan’s Warthogs Get Boost

The 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea, has gotten the first of its upgraded A-10 ground-attack aircraft. Stars and Stripes reported Tuesday that the unit’s first three A-10Cs arrived earlier this month and the rest would be coming...

Green Light

The Air Force’s Thunderbirds air demonstration team flew its acceptance show on March 11 at Nellis AFB, Nev., for Gen. William Fraser, Air Combat Command boss. Fraser subsequently gave the approval for the squadron to commence its 2010 show season...

Malmstrom Land-use Study

Local government officials in Cascade County, Mont., which encompasses Great Falls and Malmstrom Air Force Base, have launched a land-use study of the areas around the base, which is today home to a major ICBM force. The Great Falls Tribune...

Standing Tall

The newly constructed air traffic control tower at Ali Base, Iraq, opened for operation shortly after midnight on March 12. “This is a monumental day for the US Air Force, the Army Corps of Engineers, and for the future of...

Building Bridges, Mending Ankles

The airmen who deployed to Angol, Chile, on March 8 as part of an expeditionary medical support team to help treat victims of last month’s violent earthquake in the South American nation are now operating out of a mobile hospital...

Former Academy Superintendent Dies

Retired Lt. Gen. A.P. Clark, sixth superintendent of the US Air Force Academy whose exploits as a POW during World War II inspired the Hollywood classic “The Great Escape,” died March 8 in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was 96. Born...

Air Sorties from SWA 031110

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, March 11, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 30 37 67 4,088 CAS/Armed Recon 22 81 103 6,261 Airlift 165 165 11,269 Air refueling 47 47 2,900 Rescue 25 25 200 Total...