Nation States Pose Most Acute Cyber Threat

The gravest online security threat to the United States comes not from terrorists, but rather from other nation states, said Daniel Benjamin, State Department counterterrorism coordinator, Tuesday. “The cyber threat is growing, but it is not, first and foremost, right...

US, Poland Sign Agreement on Air Detachment

US Ambassador to Poland Lee Feinstein and Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich signed the memorandum of understanding that facilitates the stand-up of a US Air Force aviation detachment in Poland on an enduring, full-time basis for military-to military engagement and joint training exercises. Under the agreement, the United States intends to establish the detachment in 2012, followed by rotational deployments of USAF aircraft beginning in 2013. "The detachment of personnel will support rotations of aircraft like US F-16s or C-130s to Poland for approximately two week periods four times per year," states a release from the US embassy in Warsaw on the occasion of Monday's signing. The parties did not announce the site of the detachment, but the plan is to utilize an existing Polish air force location. The joint training exercises include the potential "use of fifth generation fighter aircraft," according to the MOU (full text). (Feinstein statement)

Pilot Error Caused T-38C Mishap

Air Education and Training Command officials have determined that pilot error led to a T-38C trainer aircraft making a hard landing on the night of February 11 at Ellington Field, Tex., near Houston, causing $2.1 million in damage to the...

Al Qaeda—Deflated and Damaged

The killing of Osama Bin Laden has more profoundly damaged Al Qaeda’s structure and morale than US officials had expected, said Daniel Benjamin, State Department counterterrorism coordinator. “Bin Laden was more involved in running that organization than one would have...

Medics Conduct New Type of Training

Air Force medics assigned to the Aerospace School of Medicine conducted training in Krivolak, Macedonia, to hone their skills to respond as an initial contingency response team, or ICRT, worldwide during a crisis or contingency. This medical exercise marked the...

Dover Receives New Radar System

Dover AFB, Del., recently joined the list of Air Force installations to receive a new $20 million radar system capable of detecting both aircraft and weather as far as 120 miles away. The Digital Airport Surveillance Radar replaces the analog...

Huey Reaches 15,000 Flight Hours

A UH-1 Huey helicopter assigned to the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB, N.M., eclipsed 15,000 flight hours. It’s “only the second UH-1 to surpass that number of flying hours,” said Lt. Col. Curtis Wichers, 512th Rescue Squadron assistant...

Officials Mull Changes to FMS Program

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency is exploring ways to streamline how it administers the foreign military sales program. The goal is to make the process of supplying international partners with military equipment more flexible and responsive, according to Vice Adm....

Fire Destroys Flying Fortress

The crew of Liberty Belle, a vintage B-17G Flying Fortress operated by the Liberty Foundation of Tulsa, Okla., declared an in-flight emergency after a fire broke out onboard the bomber aircraft shortly after takeoff from Aurora Municipal Airport, Ill. They...