Carter Slams NDAA Proposal

The House Armed Services Committee’s version of the defense authorization bill, which takes $18 billion from the overseas contingency operations fund and uses it for base budget expenses, is “deeply troubling and flawed for several reasons,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter...

Preparing to Retake Mosul

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday he wants to get forces in place before the start of Ramadan to retake Mosul. “Some of those are [Iraqi Security Forces] coming from the south, some of them are two brigades of Peshmerga...

SpaceX Wins GPS III Contract

SpaceX will launch the second GPS III satellite in May 2018. The Air Force on Wednesday awarded the first competitively sourced National Security Space launch services contract to SpaceX; the firm-fixed price contract is valued at $82.7 million. The contract...

F-35 Cash Competition

In a rare display of approval for a weapons system program, Government Accountability Office acquisition expert Michael Sullivan said the F-35 program has “managed costs very well since 2012,” when the program was restructured. However, he told the Senate Armed...

Raptors Visit Lithuania

Two F-22s and a KC-135 landed Wednesday in Lithuania for training and as part of demonstration of the US commitment to NATO. The Raptors, deployed from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Fla., are temporarily based at RAF Lakenheath,...

Airmen Provide Earthquake Relief in Ecuador

Twelve airmen this week deployed to Ecuador to help the country recover from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit April 16. An eight-man airfield assessment team deployed to Manta on April 22 to help assess damage to an airfield, according...

Brown Nominated to be CENTCOM Deputy

Lt. Gen. Charles Brown, commander of Air Forces Central Command, has been tapped to be the next deputy commander of US Central Command, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday. President Obama nominated Brown who, if confirmed, will leave his current post...

Welsh Inducted into Order of the Sword

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh on April 22 received the enlisted service’s greatest award, the Order of the Sword. CMSAF James Cody presented the award during a ceremony at Maxwell AFB, Ala., saying “the entire Air Force...