Missed It by That Much: Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday terminated the $35 billion KC-X aerial tanker competition, admitting defeat in trying to find a viable way to fix the tempestuous program’s contractual and political difficulties. (The initial word posted...

The Air Force issued only a terse statement upon yesterday’s news that Defense Secretary Robert Gates was abandoning plans to try to resolve the KC-X tanker competition before the end of the year (see above). “The Air Force supports Secretary...

Northrop Grumman and Boeing yesterday issued fairly predictable responses to the KC-X decision (see above). Northrop Grumman, which won the contest in February, but had the prize snatched away when Boeing’s protests were upheld by government auditors in June, said...

Members of the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flew surge missions and launched six of their B-52H bombers on large-scale training flights from Andersen AFB, Guam, Sept. 4-5. The two-day exercise was meant to demonstrate the Air Force’s capability to activate...

The 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard AFB, Tex., started its first training course with the T-6A Texan II trainer aircraft Aug. 29 as six undergraduate flying trainees from the 89th Flying Training squadron took to the air for the...

Edmund Zelnio, a researcher in the Air Force Research Lab’s Sensor Directorate is the winner of the 53rd annual DOD Distinguished Civilian Service award. Zelnio was cited for his hard work over a 32-year career in earning the award, the...

The military services continue to bring in the requisite number or more of enlisted accessions as the data from the Pentagon’s August tally show. (Last month’s data here.) The only component that was below—very slightly—its August goal was the Army...

The Air Force has granted Space Exploration Technologies Corp. an operational license to use space launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., the company announced Sept. 9. Receipt of the license, in conjunction with the approved site plan, paves...

Robert DeHaven, 86, a World War II fighter ace who shot down 14 Japanese aircraft in the Pacific theater and went on to become a test pilot and executive with Hughes Aircraft, died July 10. The Los Angeles Times reported...

Six B-52H bombers and their crews from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., have returned to their Louisiana home after spending about a week at Minot AFB, N.D. The Minot Daily News reported yesterday that the Barksdale B-52s...

The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland AFB, N.M., has partnered with the University of New Mexico on a student intern program aimed at recruiting and training candidates for potential employment with the center, the Air Force,...

Air Sorties in the Global War on TerrorismSept. 9, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 27 16 43 CAS/Armed Recon 40 77 117 Airlift 120 120 Air refueling 55 55 Total 335 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom...