F-35A Fires First Air-to-Air Missiles

Members of the 33rd Fighter Wing recently shot the first live air-to-air missiles from operational F-35A strike fighters during a Jan. 31 weapons system evaluation at Tyndall AFB, Fla. The AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles were loaded onto four strike...

Clock Runs Out on F-35 Lot 9 Appeal

By John A. Tirpak
Lockheed Martin did not file an appeal with the Armed Services Contract Board of Appeals regarding its dispute with the Pentagon over the F-35 Lot 9 contract. In November, the Pentagon terminated negotiations on the lot and simply imposed a...

U-2 Hits 30,000 Hours Operating in CENTCOM

One of the Air Force’s oldest aircraft has been among its busiest in the Middle East. A U-2 Dragon Lady, flown by a 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron pilot, on Thursday hit 30,000 hours of flight time while supporting US Central...

Learning to Track Low-Profile Aircraft

By Wilson Brissett
In the world of asymmetric threats to North America, NORAD is focused on learning to track low-profile aircraft that fly slowly at a low altitude, making it difficult to detect on radar. NORAD officials say the command has made progress...

NORAD Looking for Persistent, Over-the-Horizon Radar

By Wilson Brissett
As NORAD’s mission for homeland defense shifts away from a post-9/11 framework, a key requirement for dealing with the threat of Russian long-range aviation and advanced cruise missiles is persistent, over-the-horizon (OTH) radar. While advanced fighters and ISR aircraft can...

Dutch Tanker Joins the Fight Against ISIS

A Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 tanker flew its first mission as part of Operation Inherent Resolve on Feb. 1, refueling multiple aircraft over a five and a half hour period. The tanker completely emptied its fuel during a mission...

Maintaining the Raptor’s Stealth

Lockheed Martin has completed work ahead of schedule on the first of 12 F-22 Raptors at its Inlet Coating Repair Speedline facility in Marietta, Ga. There are two more Raptors currently at the facility, one that arrived in December 2016...

Patrick Reservists Deploy to Africa, Afghanistan

Air Force rescue airmen from Patrick AFB, Fla., deployed recently for a four-month rotation to Africa and Afghanistan. The airmen and aircraft from the 920th Rescue Wing deployed in two groups: one to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa for...