The Underappreciated Foundation

Some 220,000 airmen provide vital support to combat operations daily around the world, yet their contributions are often unfairly reduced to the term “enablers” in Pentagon budget conversations, said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh. This representation does not capture...

Balancing the Domains

The Air Force has performed the same core missions since its inception, providing capabilities like air superiority, airlift, command and control, intelligence collection, strike, and ground-troop support, said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh. “We actually do exactly what we’ve...

Former Army Sergeant Awarded Medal of Honor

President Barack Obama awarded former Army Sgt. Kyle Jerome White the Medal of Honor during a May 13 White House ceremony. He is the 14th Iraq or Afghanistan veteran to receive the nation’s highest military honor, states a May 14...

Picking Tomorrow’s Most Important Technology

Hypersonic and autonomous flight, directed energy weapons, and fuel efficient engines were top priorities in the Air Force’s Fiscal 2015 research budget request, said David Walker, USAF’s deputy assistant secretary for science, technology, and engineering. “Our budget request has rebalanced...

Iraq Wants Light Attack

Iraq wants to purchase 24 AT-6C light attack aircraft under a potential $790 million foreign military sales deal approved by the State Department, the Pentagon told Congress this week. “The proposed sale of these aircraft, equipment, and support will enhance...

Climate Change Could Weaken National Security

Failure to sufficiently address the projected impact of climate change could present potential security risks, serving as threat multipliers and as “catalysts for instability and conflict,” particularly in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, according to a May 2014 report...

Plugging the QDR Holes

The Defense Department’s recently released Quadrennial Defense Review raises “more questions than answers” and “offers little implementation guidance” because of “watered down language” included in the final report, states a new policy paper from the Center for a New American...

Work Addresses DOD Personnel

In his first message to Defense Department personnel, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work vowed to support service members so they can continue to do their mission to the best of their abilities. “Together, we will keep our military equipped, trained,...

On the Road to Audit Compliance

The Air Force should be audit-ready for budget activities by the end of this fiscal year, said Jamie Morin, the Air Force’s top financial manager. “An audit of the scheduled budgetary activity beginning in 2015 will be challenging for the...

Simulating Space Debris

The Arnold Engineering and Development Complex recently collaborated with NASA and other organizations to conduct simulated space collisions with a satellite mockup in a lab at Arnold AFB, Tenn. The hypervelocity destructive impact test—performed by NASA, the Air Force’s Space...

UH-60 Robo-Hawk

Sikorsky plans to begin construction of an unmanned prototype of its UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter it has been developing for tactical cargo missions, the company announced on May 13. “The autonomous Black Hawk will provide affordable, reliable, high-speed resupply to...