Time to Put Up or Shut Up?

With the F-15 fleet investigation still in progress, the Air Force’s top uniformed acquisition official believes a decision will have to be made on the future of the Eagle’s replacement fairly soon. Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman, the military deputy for...

JASSM Back From the Dead—Almost

The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile program appears headed toward recovery but is not out of the woods yet. It will get either a green or red light after it completes flight-testing this spring, according to Air Force officials. Maj. Gen....

Sticking with 2018

There remains a lot of discussion about the Air Force’s next Long Range Strike platform—especially whether it’s even feasible to make the Quadrennial Defense Review-prescribed date—but so far, service acquisition officials claim they are sticking to an approach that delivers...

Low Collateral Small Bomb on the Way

The demand in Iraq and Afghanistan for precision weapons that minimize collateral damage and reduce shrapnel is driving the development of a new variant of the Small Diameter Bomb called the Focused Lethality Munition, senior Air Force acquisition leaders told...

No Joy for Retirees:

The Congressionally chartered Task Force on the Future of Military Healthcare has released its final report, and the news is not good for those opposed to an increase in fees paid by military retirees who use Tricare. Among the recommendations...

Press Hard Enough

Some news reports may cite Air Force officials as saying the KC-X tanker program decision could be delayed beyond February. However, our man on the scene during a Thursday media session at the Pentagon said the Air Force acquisition officials...

C-17 Tackles South Pole

A C-17 from McChord AFB, Wash., made two passes over the South Pole on Dec. 18, airdropping 10 containerized delivery system bundles on each pass for a total of 22,372 pounds of supplies. It was the second such test of...

More to the Synfuel Story

That C-17 from McChord AFB, Wash., that flew cross-country on a synthetic and aviation fuel blend flew with a blended crew. The Air Mobility Command 62nd Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve Command 446th AW, both at McChord, supplied...

Two Bronzes at Keesler

The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star medals to two airmen with the 81st Transportation Squadron at Keesler AFB, Miss. for their actions in Southwest Asia. TSgt. Patrick Key served as a convoy commander and squad leader in Iraq, where...

New VA Chief in Place:

Vice President Dick Cheney on Dec. 20 administered the oath of office for the new head of Veterans Affairs, James Peake, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and former Army Surgeon General. President Bush stood at his side during...

All-in-One Force Support Squadron

The Air Force has been working toward a new people services arrangement that would merge mission support and services squadrons, enveloping all quality of life and people-type services into a new Force Support Squadron. Officials expect the two-year transition process...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

Dec. 19, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 25 6 31 CAS/Armed Recon 54 26 80 Airlift 126 126 Air refueling 41 41 Total 79 32 167 278 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance Airlift includes Horn...