USAF Gen. Norton Schwartz, head of US Transportation Command, has a new perspective on recapitalizing air mobility—swap new C-17s for new tankers. Schwartz has said in two recent news media interviews that, given the current budget environment, he would go...

The Air Force plans to unveil a new mission statement within the next two weeks. The new statement is still under wraps, but we are told it includes a phrase being used lately by new Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne:...

It could be that the current Air Force leadership has given up on getting more than 180 F/A-22 fighters, or, perhaps, they are taking advice from retired Gen. Richard Hawley. The Lexington Institute’s well-informed Loren Thompson tells us that there...

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wrote a letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner Nov. 30, saying DOD is concerned about legislation that would bring commercial oil drilling in closer to Florida’s Gulf Coast. Rumsfeld maintains such a...

Airmen deployed to Islamabad, Pakistan, unloaded the 250th aircraft taking part in what is now known as Operation Lifeline, the earthquake relief efforts for the victims of the October’s earthquake. The 250th aircraft—an Idaho Air National Guard C-130—arrived on Nov....

Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England put out a dinner invitation for several of the defense industry’s CEOs to gather at the Pentagon for dinner tonight. It’s to be an exclusive gathering—no assistants or deputies are invited. Pentagon spokesman...

Two civilian pilots flying a Piper 31 Chieftain charter aircraft with five passengers from the Netherlands to Geneva, Switzerland, earlier this month made a safe landing thanks to Maj. Peter Olson and his A-10 Thunderbolt from the 52nd Fighter Wing...

Capt. Kevin Polk, an emergency services nurse assigned to Keesler AFB, Miss., received the Bronze Star for his life-saving efforts of a fellow airman in Southwest Asia. Ignoring fire from an enemy mortar attack at Balad AB, Iraq, Sept. 11,...

Air Force Research Laboratory officials believe they can enable air mobility aircraft to land in any weather (fog, rain, snow, or blowing sand) condition without ground-based navigation aids. AFRL is working on two “high-priority” programs: with BAE on the Autonomous...

Maj. Gen. James A. Hawkins formally assumed command of the 18th Air Force at Scott AFB, Ill. on Nov. 29, taking over from Lt. Gen. William Welser III, who retired Dec. 1. (We reported on the proposed change earlier.) Hawkins...

Some Algerian Air Force members recently paid a visit to the 86th Maintenance Group at Ramstein AB, Germany, to see how the 86th maintains and repairs C-130 airlifters. Among differences they noted was the degree of specialization of USAF maintainers....

US Air Forces in Europe and German officials met at Ramstein AB, Germany, to sign a support arrangement, detailing how USAFE will accommodate the German support unit on Ramstein. A previous agreement, signed in 1988, had become outdated, said officials,...

Air Force Materiel Command’s Regional Training Center at Eglin AFB, Fla., has created a “headquarters track” as part of its Brave Defender course, which conducts ground combat skills training for AFMC and Air Force Special Operations Command security forces personnel....

The Air Force has extended the re-enlistment window and waived existing service obligation requirements in two critically short career fields: combat control and pararescue. The service also is offering qualified airmen a retention bonus of up to $150,000. These changes,...

Raytheon officials say the company has a new contract to produce ground segments for the RQ-4A/B Global Hawk unmanned aerial systems program. The agreement, which includes launch and recovery and mission control elements and associated ground communication systems, covers segments...

Second Lieutenant Kelly Nettleblad became the 10,000th student to graduate from the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class at Columbus AFB, Miss. Gen. William R. Looney III, commander of Air Education and Training Command, last month pinned the silver pilot wings...

Air Force officials say they must involuntary retrain up to 777 active duty noncommissioned officers into chronically short career fields. Some 300 airmen elected to select their preferred new career field. The Air Force Personnel Center posts a vulnerability list...

December 1, 2005 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 14 2 – 16 CAS/Armed Recon 52 17 – 69 Airlift – – 150 150 Air refueling – – 35 35 Total 66 19 185 270 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation...