Daily Report

Dec. 19, 2013

Senate Approves Budget Compromise

The Senate passed a two-year budget deal by a vote of 64-36 Wednesday evening. The bill, assembled by Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and House Budget Committee Chair Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), passed the House last week...

Keep the Champagne Corked For Now

Air Mobility Command chief Gen. Paul Selva is taking a cautionary view of the bipartisan budget deal that has now passed the House and Senate, reportedly offering some sequester relief for the military services. “We don’t have the details yet...

AIA Head Praises Budget Deal, Urges Investment

Although US aerospace and defense companies have proved resilient in hard times, the current climate in Washington is leading to “willful neglect” of needed investments in science, technology, and aerospace developments, said Aerospace Industries Association CEO and President Marion Blakey....

Last B-52G Falls to New START

The last B-52G marked for destruction under New START is slated for execution today at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. While the Air Force currently operates the B-52H, retired B-52Gs stored at the boneyard still counted against the deployed nuclear delivery platforms...

AIB Found Pilot Error Caused F-16C Collision

Investigators determined instructor pilot error caused the midair collision of two District of Columbia Air National Guard F-16Cs during a night intercept training sortie over the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 1. The instructor pilot was demonstrating an intercept maneuver against...

New Rollback Program for Enlisted

Air Force officials released more details on the Fiscal 2014 enlisted date of separation rollback program Dec. 17. The program will accelerate the date of separation for senior master sergeants and below who meet the following criteria: having served less...

Making Progress with SBIRS

The missile warning sensor for the third Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous orbiting satellite shipped to the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Dec. 18, for final integration, according to a company release. “We are one step...

F-16s Back at Bagram

F-16s returned to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, from Kandahar Airfield for the first time in almost two years earlier this week. The close air support F-16s swapped bases with A-10s from Kandahar in February 2012, while the Bagram runway was under...

Happy 20th Anniversary B-2

Northrop Grumman on Tuesday celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first B-2 delivery. The Spirit of Missouri arrived at Whiteman AFB, Mo., on Dec. 17, 1993, ushering in a new era of precision strike. It can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, and is the only aircraft that combines stealth, long-range, large payload, and precision weapons, states a Dec. 17 Northrop Grumman release. “For 20 years, the B-2 has been one of the nation's most decisive, most effective weapon systems for defending America's interests around the world,” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman. “It deters our enemies and assures our allies of our capabilities and our commitment.” Dave Mazur, vice president and B-2 program manager at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, said the B-2’s strength lies not only in its warfighting capabilities, “but also in the passion and the spirit of innovation of the men and women who have kept it lethal and effective against evolving threats for the past 20 years.” He added, “It remains one of America's most important symbols of strength and freedom.” (See also The Spirit of Missouri from the April 1994 edition of Air Force Magazine)

Shutting Down

The 755th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron completed its final mission at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, on Dec. 1—two days before the unit officially inactivated, according to a Dec. 17 release. The squadron, nicknamed the Reapers, completed a five-hour vehicle and foot...