MOP Testing Advances

The Air Force plans to conduct its first flight test of the 30,000-pound massive ordnance penetrator before the end of the month under an initiative that aims to field the huge bunker-buster munition as soon as possible. The Defense Threat...

Hello Undersecretary

Erin Conaton was sworn in Monday as undersecretary of the Air Force, filling a post vacant since August 2007. “This is a great day for the Air Force,” said Secretary Michael Donley. He added, “Erin will be a tremendous asset....

C-17s Eyed for Ohio

If Congress grants the Air Force’s request to retire 17 C-5A transports in Fiscal 2011, Air Force Reserve Command’s 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, would be one of the units to shed its C-5s and transition to new...

Airey Honored at Andrews

Airmen past and present, including five former Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force, gathered at JB Andrews, Md., on March 10 to dedicate the street and new house where the current CMSAF resides in honor of Paul Airey, first...

Predator Mishap

An MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft crashed in Southern Afghanistan March 14, according to Air Forces Central. The crash was not due to hostile fire, but, as is the practice, a board will be convened to investigate the incident to...

Make That Two

An RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft in service since 1962 surpassed 50,000 flight hours during a mission over Afghanistan March 4, becoming the second Rivet Joint in the Air Force’s inventory to reach this milestone. The first Rivet Joint...

Adieu, Old Friend

After 47 years of service, a C-130E transport assigned to Little Rock AFB, Ark., has been retired from service after recently completing its final combat mission in Iraq, an airdrop sortie delivering pallets of supplies. This aircraft, with tail number...

Taking a Breather

After 26 years of use and 13,409 flight hours, the first F108-100 engine delivered to the Air Force for a KC-135R tanker has been removed from service to undergo its first refurbishment. “It was impressive that it ran this long...

Air Sorties from SWA 030910

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, March 9-10, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 46 74 120 4,021 CAS/Armed Recon 42 160 202 6,158 Airlift 342 342 11,104 Air refueling 93 93 2,853 Rescue 35 35 175 Total...