When to Say Ouch:

Lawmakers questioned both the Air Force and Navy recently about their continuing efforts to supply personnel to serve as “in lieu of” soldiers, wondering when it will begin to affect service readiness—or if it has already. The Air Force provided...

“Very Concerned”:

The Air Force would like to get out of the ILO business, particularly when it means employing an airman outside his field (see above). Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Moseley made this point earlier this year, and Brig. Gen....

First Hog C Reaches Moody:

The first of a planned 50 A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft destined for Moody AFB, Ga., flew into its new home Aug. 7. The Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah, has been leading the modernization of the service’s...

Flying MRAPs?:

The Pentagon wants Congress to pony up some $750 million to airlift the new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to US forces in Iraq, reports Tom Vanden Brook of USA Today. Ferrying MRAPs—up to three—on an Air Force C-17 takes...

Spooky Crews, Marines Train Together:

Airmen and marines recently worked on virtual joint convoy training, using the Marine Corps Virtual Battle Space II and Air Force Special Operations Command’s AC-130U simulator. The three-day training event engaged 23 Spooky crewmembers at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and 20...

Whence the Radar Plane?:

The Air Force hasn’t dedicated any of its scarce funding to upgrading the radar and other onboard systems for its fleet of E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System aircraft, says Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute. And, that...

Let’s Get Cracking:

The Air Force’s military deputy for acquisition, Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman, speaking at a Washington industry symposium this week, entreated industry and government representatives for help in achieving for unmanned aerial vehicles an equivalent level of safety as manned platforms...

Down, But Not Out:

Just hours prior to the August recess, the House approved a bi-partisan amendment to the 2008 defense appropriations bill that would ensure collective bargaining rights under the new National Security Personnel System. Congress continues to side with the federal employee...

Hanging in There:

An A-10 Warthog’s practice bombing run hit a snag and caused planes to be delayed by about 20 minutes at Bradley Airport in Connecticut earlier this week, reports Larry Smith of The Hartford Courant. The A-10 from the Air National...

Maps in 3-D for Military:

Three-D models of urban environments are now becoming available for military leaders, thanks to a team working at the University of California at Berkeley. The team, which is funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, has created a...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

Aug. 7, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 16 10 26 CAS/Armed Recon 50 38 88 Airlift 128 128 Air refueling 45 45 Total 66 48 173 287 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance Airlift includes Horn...