The Air Force Research Lab has issued a broad agency announcement seeking concepts for a new Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft that will “break current paradigms of vehicle cost as related to weight” for a new tactical airlifter. AFRL wants proposals...

Aeronautical Systems Center is in the market for 115 medium-size transport aircraft to replace USAF’s current fleet of HC-130 and MC-130 combat rescue and special operations tankers. A “sources sought” notice says the Air Force expects to take delivery of...

The U-2 Dragon Lady has been dedicated to missions in Southwest Asia for a long, long time, becoming the second Air Force special intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance asset to log 6,000 consecutive days. For the U-2 high flying recon airplane and its pilots...

The Air Force has issued an environmental impact assessment for public comment on its proposal to add up to 31 additional aircraft and about 565 more personnel, a combination of civilian, active duty, and Reserve. The bulk of the additions...

Maintainers with the 39th Logistic Readiness Squadron at Incirlik AB, Turkey, are resorting to an old refueling technique—last used there a decade ago—that minimizes equipment wear and tear, saves maintenance time, and affords pilots more training time. The technique, called...

Airmen of the 820th Security Forces Group at Moody AFB, Ga., have begun testing the latest in long-range nonlethal weapon systems, one that emits a beam of energy that makes targets feel “hot” and just naturally want to get out...

An on-line course entitled “Air Freight Web-based Training Lesson,” which trains students in aerial port air freight operations, has won a Gold Award in the 2006 Brandon Hall Excellence in E-Learning Awards competition in Denver, Colo. The Air Mobility Warfare...

The Congressional newspaper The Hill reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates is directing military service leaders to develop “plans to minimize the use” of stop loss for both active and reserve forces by the end of February. Gates could be...

The California Air National Guard will regain the homeland security mission operated from March ARB, Calif., from the Montana Air Guard, possibly as early as fall, reports Associated Press. The F-16s belonging to Det. 1 of the California ANG’s 144th...

DOD and VA officials announced Jan. 24 that the two departments plan to develop a common inpatient electronic health record system. Up until now, each has used separate systems. Such accessibility to inpatient medical records would enable clinicians to offer...

Wounded troops will soon be receiving top notch treatment and recovering in a new $50 million physical rehabilitation center set to open Jan. 29 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Ft. Sam Houston, Tex. In addition, there will be two new...

Jan. 23, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 11 6 17 CAS/Armed Recon 44 23 67 Airlift 150 150 Air refueling 32 32 Total 55 29 182 266 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance