The Engine That Would Not Go Quietly

The Engine That Would Not Go Quietly: General Electric and Rolls Royce continue to push to reverse the Pentagon plan to cancel the alternate F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine. They and critics who fear downsizing to a single engine producer...

The Russians Are Coming

A top-ranking Russian military officials says Russia is poised to roll out its new fighter, one that will compete with USAF’s F-22A Raptor. According to Russian news service Pravda, Vladimir Mikhailov, commander in chief of the Russian Air Force, recently...

It Went, It Conquered, It Came Home

It Went, It Conquered, It Came Home: The prototype Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, designated Air Vehicle No. 3, first sent to Southwest Asia in 2002 should arrive back at Edwards AFB, Calif., on Feb. 20. The Air Force has...

The End of the 767?

Boeing officials have decided to close the long-running 767 production line, with no decision in sight for the Air Force’s KC-135 tanker replacement. According to Associated Press news service, Boeing plans to complete its backorders of 767s and then would...

Saving Long Beach

Boeing’s decision to close its 767 line in Everett, Wash., (see above) could prove the salvation of its C-17 production facility in Long Beach, Calif. Boeing’s Chief Financial Officer James Bell said at a Miami conference earlier this week that...

The Blue and the Green, Working Together

Air Force and Army active and reserve personnel practiced their skills in close air support earlier this week during Air Warrior II at Ft. Polk, La. Officials say that the joint force exercise features a realistic environment for Air Force...

McGuire Super Base Grows

Four new facilities just opened at McGuire AFB, N.J., and, according to Republican Rep. Jim Saxton, it is the first time he has ever seen four in one day. Under BRAC 2005, McGuire is slated to become a central feature...

New Name, Bigger Mission for 12th Air Force

Continuing the Air Force plan to transform its numbered air forces into warfighting headquarters, 12th Air Force at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., now has become Air Forces Southern, or AFSOUTH, provisional. (It will remain provisional until it formally reaches operational capability.)...

Hawaii Joins Elite ISR Team

Hickam AFB, Hawaii, has the newest of the Air Force’s five Distributed Ground Stations, in which intelligence imagery analysts interpret images taken by unmanned aerial vehicles or other intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance assets. “The reachback capability that we represent is amazing,” TSgt. Michael...

First Commander of 45th Space Wing Dies

Retired Maj. Gen. Jimmey R. Morrell, who was the first to lead the newly formed 45th Space Wing at Patrick AFB, Fla., died Feb. 8 from a stroke. Morrell, who retired in 1993, had been battling cancer since he was...

Cope Tiger Airmen Venture Outside:

Apart from participating in Cope Tiger 06, a tri-lateral exercise comprising US, Singapore, and Thailand forces operating out of Korat RAFB, Thailand, some Pacific Air Forces airmen take time to aid local schools and provide medical assistance to civilians in...

Say Cheese:

The Air Force is shooting a new recruiting commercial, and it’s theme is “Do something amazing.” An advertising agency crew was at Charleston AFB, S.C., earlier this week to film airmen in action—a C-17 aircrew and aerial port specialists. The...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

February 14, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 12 6 – 18 CAS/Armed Recon 40 20 – 60 Airlift – – 160 160 Air refueling – – 28 28 Total 52 26 188 266 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation...