No ‘Aha’ in Sight Over F-15 Liability

The Air Force is still working through the aircraft structural factors that led to the extended grounding of the F-15 fleet, so it is not ready to say that Boeing (which acquired F-15 maker McDonnell Douglas) is liable, reports the...

In the Air Again

The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron began flying training missions again after the crash of one of its F-15Ds on Feb. 1, reports the Honolulu Advertiser. The Air Guard unit, which is slated to trade its Eagles for...

A New Super Hercules Multi-year?:

The Air Force is laying the seeds for another large buy of C-130Js, according to its newly released Fiscal 2009 budget proposal. While the new spending plan earmarks $69 million for advanced procurement of parts for additional C-130Js starting in...

Reaching the Digital Generation

Air Education and Training Command has issued a White Paper to help define the service’s approach to education and training in the 2008 to 2030 timeframe. In a foreword to the 29-page document, AETC boss Gen. William Looney writes, “The...

Two Months At Most

Lockheed Martin officials are saying that the recent test failure of the F135 engine for the second test F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, outlined during a House hearing last week, should not delay the test program for long. The Fort Worth...

First Active J Model Hits SWA

The employment of the new C-130J model Hercules in Southwest Asia is not new—the Air National Guard first flew the J there in fall 2004, beginning a 20-month field test—but the 41st Airlift Squadron has become the first active duty...

Aiding China’s Cold

A US Air Force C-17 from Hickam AFB, Hawaii and one from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, delivered about 226,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to China on Feb. 8 to help aid people in 19 provinces hard hit by severe winter storms....

Child Care is No. 1:

Asked at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing last week which of four choices—health care, housing, daycare, and education—would he rank as the top concern for airmen, the Air Force’s top enlisted man replied: “Without question, I would put No. 1...

Adieu

The Air Force says it may retire a total of 272 aircraft in Fiscal 2008. This includes both fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters. Scheduled to go are: 17 B-52s, 24 C-130Es, 32 F-15s, 35 F-16s, 42 F-117s (completing the retirement of...

Preserving the Option

The first delivery of a Third Generation Infrared Surveillance (3GIRS) satellite, the successor to the Space Based Infrared System, could occur in Fiscal 2016 if development of its design commences in Fiscal 2010, according to the Air Force’s notional planning...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

Feb. 10, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 24 9 33 1,016 CAS/Armed Recon 65 35 100 3,203 Airlift 136 136 4,720 Air refueling 41 41 1,520 Total 310 10,459 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance...