F-22 Raptor Clears FOT&E
F-22 Raptor Clears FOT&E: Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center officials say the F-22A Raptor is now “mission capable” for the air-to-ground role; they have completed follow-on operational test and evaluation for the new fighter. This was not a...
Victims of T-39 Crash Identified
Victims of T-39 Crash Identified: Among the four people killed in the Jan. 11 crash of a US Navy T-39 was Air Force 1st Lt. Jason W. Davis, 28, of Vista, Calif., who was in navigator training at NAS Pensacola,...
TAGs Launch Offensive To Forestall Guard Cuts
The National Guard Adjutants General quickly pounced on statements and rumors about impending Air Force and Army troop cuts that would include reserve as well as active forces. Firing off a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Maj. Gen. Roger...
Old Aircraft Must Make Way for New, Sometime
The question becomes how soon. Lawmakers already told the Air Force “hands off” three legacy systems for Fiscal 2006. According to news reports, though, the service is eyeing out-year retirements for B-52, F-117, and U-2 aircraft to free up funds...
Air War Key to Iraq Strategy
Columnists and reporters around the country are writing about airpower operations in Iraq, citing both the increase in combat sorties over the past year and the growing likelihood that US airpower will be left to sustain Iraqi ground forces even...
Airmen Truckers Chart Four Million Miles
Airmen of the 723rd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron—also known by their Army pseudonym of 1058th Gun Truck Company—recently passed the four-million-mile mark shepherding convoys across Iraq for the past two years. During that time, two of the unit’s gunners—SSgt. Dustin...
Blue Force Tracking Comes to Joint STARS
Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass., has added a system called Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below to the repertoire of the E-8 Joint STARS to enable the ground surveillance aircraft to “see” friend vs. foe. The Army uses...
Bad Brake Causes Mega-bucks B-1B Fire
According to Air Combat Command, a leak in the hydraulic fluid system and sparks from a faulty brake caused the fire that damaged a B-1B landing at Andersen AFB, Guam, on Sept. 15, 2005. An accident investigation report estimates the...
Ellsworth Airmen Receive Medals for Valor
Three airmen from the 28th Security Forces Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D., have received medals for heroism during deployment to Iraq in 2005. SMSgt. Gregory Williams and MSgt. Kelly Mixson each earned the Bronze Star with valor and SrA. Pamela Bolton...
New Longer Flying JASSM Aces First Ground Test
The Long Range Missile Systems Group at Eglin AFB, Fla., and Lockheed Martin recently completed a successful first ground test of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range. According to the Eglin Eagle, the test at the new ground facility went...
Two Elmendorf Airmen Awarded Bronze Stars
MSgt. David John and A1C Adam Giran, both with the 3rd Security Forces Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, received Bronze Stars for actions during deployment to Iraq with the Army’s Det. 2632, 457th Transportation Battalion at Logistical Support Area Anaconda in...
Industry Team Pushes Radar “Leap-Ahead” Technology
A Northrop Grumman-led industry team with Lockheed Martin and L-3 Communications has tested a unique application of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for high-bandwidth communications. Northrop officials say that the technology breakthrough demonstrated with the F-22 fighter’s AN/APG-77...
Northrop Tapped for Tech Support for Target Missiles
The Air Force has selected Northrop Grumman to handle technical support for its Rocket Systems Launch Program—an effort worth about $100 million over five years. RSLP provides target missiles and space launch vehicles used in DOD test programs.
Buzz Aldrin Receives Hill Space Award
The Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation has presented former astronaut and retired Air Force Col. Buzz Aldrin Jr. with the organization’s highest award, the Gen. James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award. Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969, were...
This Privatized Housing Is Top Line
Called Quail Hollow, the privatized housing development for airmen assigned to Dyess AFB, Tex., is turning heads. Dawn Davis-Spector, 7th Civil Engineer Squadron housing flight manager, tells the Dyess Global Warrior that the houses are “better quality homes than you...
OPM Cites Veteran Preference Edge in Hiring
OPM Cites Veteran Preference Edge in Hiring: The federal government hired more veterans in Fiscal 2004 than it did in 2003, according to the annual employment report issued recently by the Office of Personnel Management. The 2004 data shows that the Air Force is leading the way among federal executive departments. The report covers 2004, is dated December 2005, and was presented to Congress in January 2006. Go figure.
Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism
January 11, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 8 5 – 13 CAS/Armed Recon 52 19 – 71 Airlift – – 175 175 Air refueling – – 29 29 Total 60 24 204 288 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation...