At this point, one has to wonder. A hot tip from Dow Jones Newswires that Pentagon acquisition point man Ken Krieg has “reviewed” the study offers no solace. The AOA saga is long. First rumors pegged its turnover to the...

Aiding and abetting the bombers and fighters that make up the Pacific region’s global strike task force are USAF KC-135 tankers. Right now that group is the Air National Guard’s 168th Air Refueling Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska—making their second appearance...

Discussion continues among the citizens of Great Falls, Mont., over whether to limit residential and commercial growth near Malmstrom AFB, Mont. Some fear interference with base operations—especially a potential return of a flying mission. (The base lost its KC-135s under...

The last WC-130H of AFRC’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron has departed Keesler AFB, Miss., finalizing the unit’s conversion to the newer and more advanced WC-130J. All of the “Hurricane Hunters” C-130Hs have been relocated to other squadrons, which will continue...

Flying the J model Hercules has reduced the number of aircrew needed by the 53rd WRS and the time it takes for airmen of AFRC’s 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to service the weather birds. The C-130J requires less crew members...

The Russians are hard at work building their own fifth-generation tactical fighter aircraft, and it will be ready to field in 2007, according to Russian Air Force Commander in Chief Vladimir Mikhailov. A Russian news agency reports that Mikhailov claims...

Ryan Henry has been pre-briefing Capitol Hill staffers on bits of the Quadrennial Defense Review. Staffers told Defense Daily about the session, complaining that Henry, principal policy deputy for DOD and QDR point man, provided few details. They, too, must...

A senior Army official confirmed to ABC News that the Pentagon believes Iraqi insurgents used a Russian SA-7 surface-to-air missile to shoot down an Army AH-64 Apache helicopter on Jan. 16. Amid news of the three American helicopters that have...

Florida Wants Space Investment: Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wants $55 million from the state legislature to keep the state competitive in the space arena, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. NASA plans to retire the space shuttle fleet around 2010, and there...

Meanwhile New Mexico Legislators Are Quibbling: The New Mexico State Senate declined to support Gov. Bill Richardson’s proposal to invest $225 million for spaceport development. According to the Silver City Sun-News, some lawmakers have concerns about specifics, such as location—wanting...

Some 15 Air Force civil engineers comprise a public works team supporting Army units at three different locations in Iraq. They technically are part of Det. 16, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at Balad AB, Iraq. Three of these airmen...

US Joint Forces Command sees great value in its new Joint Public Affairs Support Element, or JPASE, which it sent forth on three occasions over the past five months. A JPASE team covered task force commander needs for Hurricanes Katrina...

For nearly three years, airmen at Balad AB, Iraq, have been installing extra armor on convoy vehicles, helping to fortify them against Improvised Explosive Devices. That work is coming to an end this month. The airmen have armored more than...

Hungary is now part of the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft family, helping to operate the alliance’s fleet of ground radar aircraft. Through 2006, Hungarian Air Force personnel will take up ground and flying positions at the force...

According to the VA, a customer satisfaction report shows that veterans rate the inpatient health care provided by the VA at 83 percent, which is 10 percentage points higher than the rating patients give the private-sector health industry. This marks...

January 18, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 17 5 – 22 CAS/Armed Recon 50 21 – 71 Airlift – – 145 145 Air refueling – – 34 34 Total 67 26 179 272 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation...