Farewell ‘Black Jet’

The F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter, the Air Force’s first-ever operational aircraft designed with a sensor-evading airframe, will fly into the sunset April 21, ending its 27-year service life. The remaining four operational F-117As in the inventory will depart their home...

Seven Figures and Counting

Based on the average current rate of daily sorties, the Air Force anticipates surpassing today (April 21) the one-millionth flight milestone in the global war on terror since Sept. 11, 2001. This includes airlift, air refueling, aeromedical evacuation, bomber, fighter,...

Closed, For Now

The Pentagon Inspector General’s investigation into whether senior USAF officers exerted command influence to steer a support contract for the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team to a favored company is closed, Lt. Col. Sharon Sughru of the service’s Judge Advocate General...

Ramping up for RERP

The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin the first production contract for the C-5 reliability enhancement and re-engining program, the Department of Defense announced April 18. Under the terms of the $127.2 million deal, the company will provide the first...

Some Senior Blue Moves

The Department of Defense announced the nominations of four Air Force generals April 18 for promotion to senior joint and USAF positions. Lt. Gen. William M. Fraser III, assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, if confirmed...

Time to Perform

Consolidation of the Air Force’s human performance research at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, took an important step forward April 16 with the award of the construction contract for the new 680,000 square-foot complex that will host the mission under the newly...

Looking Elsewhere

US Southern Command is looking into potential locations outside of Ecuador at which it could establish a forward operating location for continuing its unarmed overhead counter-narcotics surveillance operations of the Eastern Pacific, Navy Adm. James E. Stavridis, SOUTHCOM’s commander, told...

Curbing Prescription Drug Spending

A new report from the Government Accountability Office supports the Defense Department’s ongoing efforts to curb soaring prescription drug costs, including a plan to up copayments at retail pharmacies to encourage more beneficiaries to use military pharmacies or Tricare’s Mail...

Upping Ante for Medical Scholarships

There will be an extra $20,000 to entice students selected by the Air Force for three- and four-year medical scholarships to sign up for an additional commitment. Lt. Col. Curt Prichard, Air Force Recruiting Service officer accessions chief, calls the...

Lift the Cap

Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, wants to remove the cap on the number of veterans that can enroll each year in the VA’s independent living program. He has introduced new legislation, the Training and...

Air Sorties From SWA

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest AsiaApril 16, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 22 10 32 2,895 CAS/Armed Recon 44 46 90 8,788 Airlift 140 140 13,064 Air refueling 44 44 4,021 Total 306 28,768...