Daily Report

In making his unvarnished military assessment of the high risk he sees in halting F-22 production at 187 aircraft, Air Combat Command boss Gen. John Corley upheld his sworn duty to Congress to “provide his unbiased opinion on all matters...

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz issued a joint statement last week, acknowledging that they had considered the views of Gen. John Corley, who leads Air Combat Command, on the F-22 risk factor (see...

US Central Command on Friday released the executive summary (fairly large file) of the report on the investigation into the civilian casualties that resulted from the May 4 battle between Taliban insurgents and Afghanistan and coalition forces in Farah province. The conclusion was that there were likely at least 26—and possibly more—civilian casualties, but that the US aircraft strikes were lawful within "the totality of the circumstances." The report does not recommend eliminating the use of close air support, "especially in direct and indirect fire situations that imperil friendly forces;" however it does caution that "absent a direct or imminent threat, we must pursue a tactical approach that prioritizes avoidance of civilian casualties as a fundamental aspect of mission success." It notes that two of three B-1B strikes that took place after sunset in the nearly eight-hour confrontation could have caused civilian casualties. The ground force commander determined that coalition and Afghan forces were in danger and gave the strike orders, but neither the ground force commander nor the aircrew could confirm the presence or absence of civilians in the target buildings, which is why the investigators believe the two CAS strikes were each "a likely source of civilian casualties." Among several recommendations, the report calls for coalition forces to refine guidance for employment of weapons when there is potential for civilian casualties. It also calls for a review of aircraft used in CAS roles for "appropriateness" and for "any shortfalls with respect to the maintenance of positive identification."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said June 18 that he is “within a few days” of the way forward in the Air Force’s KC-X tanker replacement program. That must come as welcome news to lawmakers, including Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) who...

Stealth and other technology efforts that have been pursued in secret as part of the next generation bomber program could be split off into their own research and development program, according to Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), who chairs the House...

The House Armed Services Committee wants the Air Force and Army to provide their plan for the way forward with the new C-27J Spartan Joint Combat Aircraft, given that the Pentagon arbitrarily reversed itself, giving the aircraft and the “last...

The Air Force has named SSgt. Jon Ouchi, an airborne cryptologic operator with Air Combat Command’s 390th Intelligence Squadron at Kadena AB, Japan, as its top enlisted aviator for 2008, making him the recipient of the annual Henry “Red” Erwin...

In a new Letter to Airmen, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley writes of the value of teamwork, citing the team effort that led to the award of the Air Force Cross to SSgt. Zachary Rhyner. Donley reminded airmen that "teamwork starts with" each individual, and he added: "By joining the Air Force, you have joined a cause greater than yourself—one where success comes from collective efforts." He continued, "Daily, you build on a rich legacy of Americans who pooled their talent to change the world." (June 18 Letter to Airmen)

The Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Fighter Wing at Lambert Field near St. Louis celebrated the final sortie by the unit with the F-15C Eagle on June 13, when the last Eagle departed for its new home in Hawaii. BRAC...

The military academies reportedly have received significantly more applications than the year before. The US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., leads the pack, with a 40 percent jump, while the US Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo., had a...

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest AsiaJune 16-17, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 53 42 95 6,843 CAS/Armed Recon 19 145 164 16,247 Airlift 240 240 22,911 Air refueling 80 80 7,563 Total 579 53,564...