The Air Force has begun launch preparations at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., for the next orbital mission of an X-37B reusable spaceplane, service spokeswoman Maj. Tracy Bunko told the Daily Report on Sept. 26. “We are on track to launch”...

An unexplained engine fire caused the loss of an F-15E on an aggressor training sortie from the operating location of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia on May 3, announced Air Combat Command. "A rare ignition of the titanium components" within the right engine severely damaged vital systems, leading to the crash, according to the findings of ACC's accident investigation board, whose report came out on Sept. 26. Midway through the training engagement, the Strike Eagle's crew experienced a violent concussion during a full-afterburner climb, according to the AIB report. The pilot leveled the aircraft, and immediately shut down the right engine, responding to an overheat warning, states the report. Struggling to control the aircraft, the pilot applied full left stick and rudder to keep the fighter near level. The pilot called his backseater to eject, then canceled the order after regaining momentary control. Moments later, a complete power failure forced the crew to eject and both were recovered unharmed, states the report. The F-15E belonged to the 391st Fighter Wing from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. The cost of the airplane's loss is estimated at $45.5 million. (AIB report; caution, large-sized file.)

The Air Force Research Lab has chosen General Electric Aviation and Pratt & Whitney to mature advanced engine technology for future military combat aircraft under the Adaptive Engine Technology Development program. Both companies last week announced that they would enter...

The Air Force’s 218th production C-17 arrived for beddown at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., earlier this month. Col. Bruce Bowers, commander of Air Force Reserve Command’s 446th Airlift Wing, piloted the factory-fresh airlifter from Boeing’s assembly plant in Long Beach, Calif.,...

Air Force officials and local representatives gathered to celebrate the transfer of the final parcel of land on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base in upstate New York from military ownership to the greater Plattsburgh community. The Air Force turned over the final 732 acres of land to Clinton County on Sept. 19, reported WCAX, a TV station in Burlington, Vt. The Air Force closed the air base in 1995 under BRAC and has been gradually cleaning up site contamination and returning portions of the property to the community. The Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corporation has been in charge of the rebuilding process. Today, the former base is home to 60 tenants in such fields as aerospace, composites, health care, high-tech engineering, manufacturing, market research, pharmaceuticals, rail transportation, and warehousing, states an Air Force Real Property Agency release. The Plattsburgh International Airport takes up half of the old base, and is expanding, according to WCAX.

F-22 instructor pilots at Tyndall AFB, Fla., flew 53 local Raptor sorties in a single-day surge to retain their currency and, in the process, set a 43rd Fighter Squadron record, according to base officials. “We more than doubled the normal...

The 19th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is scheduled to phase out its MC-130E Combat Talon I simulator on Oct. 1 to make way for MC-130J training, states a base release. “The MC-130E aircraft is scheduled to retire...

The Air Force awarded Korean Air a $38.4 million contract for depot maintenance services on US F-16s operating in the Asia-Pacific region through June 2018. Activities that the company’s aerospace division, which is headquartered in Busan, South Korea, will perform...