Senate Confirms Schwartz, McNabb

The full Senate Aug. 1 has confirmed Gen. Norton Schwartz to be the next Air Force Chief of Staff and Gen. Duncan McNabb to replace him at US Transportation Command. As we reported earlier (see below), the Senate Armed Services...

Pilot Identified in Fatal F-15 Crash

The 65th Aggressor Squadron pilot who died in the July 30 crash of an F-15D at Nellis AFB, Nev., was Lt. Col. Thomas Bouley, the commander of the squadron. The other pilot on the two-seat fighter was an Royal Air...

First B-52H Heads to Barn

First B-52H Heads to Barn: The Air Force has sent the first of 18 B-52 bombers that it intends to “retire” to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., where it is to be stored in case it’s needed again, according to a July...

Partially There?

If what we heard late Thursday is accurate, the Senate Armed Services Committee has blessed Gen. Norton Schwartz to be Air Force Chief of Staff and Gen. Duncan McNabb to replace him at US Transportation Command. Early on Thursday, ABC...

Wynne, Air Force Best to Oversee Space

The role of executive agent for military space programs should be restored to the Air Force, says former USAF Secretary Michael Wynne. “I think it has got to go back,” Wynne told the Daily Report during an interview July 28....

Spaceplane Bumps NASA Moon Mission

Actually, Florida Today reported July 29 that NASA decided it needed more time for testing of its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, slated to launch aboard an Atlas V in December, so it’s now shooting for February 2009. That left the window...

Still Vital

A B-52 bomber for the first time released a laser joint direct attack munition during a 17.3-hour roundtrip mission July 14 from Barksdale AFB, La., according to a July 24 release. The 76 B-52 bombers Air Combat Command intends to...

Mountain Home Strike Eagles Employ New Comm System

The 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, will be making an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan with new satellite-based communications systems that will enable its F-15E Strike Eagles to have direct contact with ground forces, unhampered by line-of-sight restrictions....

NATO AWACS for Afghan Duty?

At the request of its commanders in Afghanistan, NATO is considering sending E-3 AWACS aircraft to assist with escalating combat operations. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer paid a three-day visit to the country last week, where he met...

Rescue Airmen Receive Bronze

The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star medals for meritorious service to Maj. Patrick O’Rourke and SSgt. Jose Cervantes for their actions while deployed from Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Afghanistan from May 2006 to May 2007. O’Rourke, a combat rescue...

The Official Word

US Air Force and US Southern Command officials have known for at least a year that Ecuador wanted US counterdrug forces out of Forward Operating Location Manta. The US has been operating from there under a 1999 agreement that is...

Veto Looming for Milcon, VA Bill

The Office of Management and Budget on July 30 sent a three-page Statement of Administration Policy to Congress, taking exception to the “costly earmarks” and “other objectionable provisions” of the 2009 Military Construction and VA spending bill. House appropriators and...

Keeping Us Informed

The 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., has an ICBM transport truck tip over on its side Thursday (July 31) about 8:20 a.m. (central time) on its way to a launch facility between Makoti and Parshall. The Minuteman III...

Air Sorties from SWA

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest AsiaJuly 29, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 26 12 38 6,546 CAS/Armed Recon 49 79 128 19,285 Airlift 140 140 26,354 Air refueling 61 61 9,274 Total 367 61,459...