Daily Report

Feb. 9, 2012

Pentagon Inspector General Looks into F-22 Crash Probe

The Defense Department's Inspector General is investigating the probe conducted by an Air Force accident investigation board on the fatal F-22 crash in Alaska in November 2010. "The assessment will focus on the adherence of the AIB to the procedures set forth in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 51-503, 'Aerospace Accident Investigations,'" wrote Randolph Stone, deputy IG for policy and oversight, to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley in a Jan. 25 letter. It will also "verify that AIB conclusions are supported by evidence of record consistent with standards of proof established by AFI 51-503," states the missive. Bridget Serchak, an IG office spokeswoman, told the Daily Report "this project has just gotten underway," so it's not clear when the investigation will be complete. Pacific Air Forces accident investigators determined that the F-22 pilot's failure to "recognize and initiate a timely dive recovery" was the most direct cause of the Raptor crash. They also cited contributing factors like training deficiencies in their report, released in December. Capt. Jeffrey Haney, a pilot assigned to JB Elmendorf, Alaska, lost his life in the crash. (AFI 51-503 full text and F-22 AIB report; caution, large sized documents.)

Planning for Sequestration

The Pentagon could be placing itself at further risk by refusing to plan for the draconian spending cuts mandated by the 2011 Budget Control Act’s sequestration clause, said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow for defense budget studies at the Center...

Efficiencies Don’t Necessarily Equal Savings

The Defense Department expects to save about $60 billion from “unspecified efficiencies,” in addition to the $178 billion in efficiency savings already projected through mid decade, said officials at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments Wednesday. That’s a dangerous...

More than Zero

The relationship between the United States and China is not a “zero-sum game” from Singapore’s perspective, said Singaporean Foreign Minister K Shanmugam on Wednesday. “The world and Asia are big enough to accommodate a rising China and a reinvigorated US,”...

US Influence Key to Ensuring China Acts Responsibly

The narrative of an “Asia Pacific century” is still unfolding, said Chee Wee Kiong, second permanent secretary of Singapore’s foreign ministry, in a speech in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. While Asia will be a dynamic region, uncertainty remains about new...

Gone to Guam

A contingent of 18 F-15s, two E-3 AWACS, and two KC-135s departed Kadena AB, Japan this week, forward deploying to Andersen AFB, Guam. The three-week aviation training relocation is part of the Pacific Air Forces’ bilateral Cope North air defense...

Strike Eagle Conservation Society

Craftsmen at Robins AFB, Ga., completed the painstaking rebuild of an F-15E Strike Eagle that was severely damaged in an in-flight fire on a training sortie from Shaw AFB, S.C., almost 18 months ago. The Robins technicians had to completely...

Larger Avenger Flies for First Time

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced the inaugural flight of its second jet-powered Predator C Avenger remotely piloted aircraft. “The first flight of our second Avenger aircraft is a significant achievement as it refines the first prototype design to an operational...

Ready Radars

A reliability upgrade package for the B-1B Lancer’s strike radar successfully finished operational flight and ground trials at Dyess AFB, Tex. Replacing the radar’s transmitter, receiver, processing computer, and software, the Reliability and Maintainability Improvement Program promises increased availability. “The...