Various news reports Wednesday claimed that the Air Force has decided to let the combat search and rescue helicopter replacement program award remain with Boeing, while others claimed that the service planned to resolicit all three original competitors—Boeing, Lockheed Martin,...

Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne told the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Wednesday morning that he would “love to have an increased rate of replacement” for aircraft because of growing problems on the service’s aging inventory. He noted that the service...

Testifying before Senate appropriators Wednesday, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said he is concerned about the service’s ability to maintain its greatly-in-demand C-130 tactical airlifters. He explained that despite a host of upgrade programs, the Air Force essentially is performing...

As for USAF asking to manage its own fleet of aircraft—including retirement when deemed necessary—Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told defense reporters Tuesday morning that he thinks the issue will be addressed this year....

Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, told lawmakers during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday that the Air Force simply cannot afford an alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. He said it would cost “$2 billion...

Boeing officials say the company’s effort to put the second Air Force C-130 through its avionics modernization program currently is “40 percent below the cost of the first C-130 AMP.” A March 21 release notes that the lower cost is...

Lockheed Martin has delivered its eight and final new Global Positioning System satellite in the Block IIR production program. A company release states that there currently are three IIR-M satellites on orbit, along with 12 of the original Block IIR...

The Senate has confirmed Air National Guard Col. Deborah Rose for her first star and to become director of Joint Forces Headquarters Kansas, Kansas National Guard. Rose currently is the vice commander of the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka....

The Air Force is training more mobility personnel on the new Joint Precision Air Drop System, which employs Global Positioning System navigation signals to deliver cargo bundles at higher altitudes and away from ground fire. An Air Mobility Command JPADS...

The Air Force has reconsidered dropping the designation Distinguished Graduate from its Squadron Officer School program and plans to reinstitute DG status with the class that starts April 16. According to an Air Education and Training Command release, the service...

March 19, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 15 10 25 CAS/Armed Recon 67 45 112 Airlift 140 140 Air refueling 41 41 Total 82 55 181 318 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance