The Funding Matters

If sequestration returns, the services will not have the resources and ability to defend the United States against present and future threats, all four service chiefs agreed during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday. When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)...

High Morale, High Readiness

Increases in both retention bonuses and flying time are needed to reduce the Air Force’s pilot shortage, Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein reiterated Thursday. During a Senate Armed Service Committee hearing, Chairman Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) asserted retention bonuses...

JSTARS Fleet Hits 1 Million Flight Hours

The Air Force’s E-8 JSTARS fleet completed one million hours of flight time on Sept. 6 while deployed to the Middle East. The aircraft, from the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron out of Robins AFB, Ga., reached the...

Spotlight: SSgt. Derek Miles

SSgt. Derek Miles, a ground radar systems technician with the 39th Operations Support Squadron at Incirlik AB, Turkey, is one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2016. As a senior airman, Miles guided a four-member...

Spotlight: SSgt. Aaron Tobler

SSgt. Aaron Tobler, a geospatial intelligence analyst with the 50th Intelligence Squadron at Beale AFB, Calif., is one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2016. Tobler repeatedly filled Active Duty intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations...

Industry Feels the Effects of Budget Cuts Too

Budget instability impacts defense contractors’ ability to plan, particularly when it comes to technical workforce management, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein told lawmakers Thursday. “They’ve got to keep a certain amount of that workforce engaged over time,...

Air Force Will Not Meet 2020 FAA Mandate

The Air Force will not be fully compliant with a Federal Aviation Administration mandate requiring next generation tracking systems on all airplanes in US civilian airspace by Jan. 1, 2020, a group of top generals said. “No operational bombers will...

Kadena F-15s Join Valiant Shield

F-15s from the 67th Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB, Japan, deployed to a joint US Pacific Command exercise on Sept. 9. Exercise Valiant Shield, hosted at Andersen AFB, Guam, focuses on air, land, sea, and cyberspace dominance in the Pacific....

Nuclear Studies Program Graduates First Class

The Air Force’s new masters program for nuclear studies graduated its first class this month, finalizing what it expects to be the first generation of new nuclear leaders. The six active-duty airmen are headed to preselected positions of leadership, including...

Clarification

Although Boeing will perform much of the engineering, manufacturing, and development activities for its T-X trainer candidate at its St. Louis facilities—and both EMD examples will have undergone final assembly there—no decision has been made about where final assembly will...