Omaha.com
Aged landing-gear springs caused a B-2A stealth bomber to skid off the runway during a midnight landing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Sept. 14, causing at least $10.1 million worth of damage, an Air Force investigation has concluded.
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Business Insider
U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers that were deployed to England two weeks before Russia's invasion of Ukraine have stayed active over Europe but with a less "in-your-face" approach—one the Biden administration appears to have adopted in recent months. U.S. bombers regularly fly over Europe and the Pacific, but in recent years they have more often flown over sensitive regions, such the Barents Sea north of Russia, the Sea of Okhotsk off of Russia's Far East, and the Black Sea near Crimea. Russian officials have noted that activity and have responded with aerial intercepts that U.S. officials deemed unsafe.
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Stars & Stripes
President Joe Biden told U.S. troops in Poland on March 25 that the future of democracy in the world hangs in the balance as Russia continues its month-old war on Ukraine. Speaking with members of the 82nd Airborne Division deployed to Rzeszow, Poland, Biden said the international community is at “an inflection point” as autocratic nations such as Russia and China threaten the post-World War II world order.
Air Force release
The first calendar year 2022 Career Intermission Program application window opens April 1 for eligible Airmen and Guardians interested in a one- to three-year temporary break from Active duty to meet personal or professional needs outside the service. The time commitment members must serve upon return to Active duty is now a “one month for one month” ratio, instead of the previously required “two months for every one month” of program participation due to a recent change in the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.
Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
In Episode 69 of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies’ Aerospace Advantage podcast, host John "Slick" Baum is joined by former career Air Force intelligence officer and aerospace industry executive Brian Morra to discuss his new book, “The Able Archers,” and how the lessons he learned from his firsthand experience during the Able Archer exercise applies to Russia today. In 1983, following NATO’s Able Archer military exercise and the Soviet shootdown of Korean Airlines Flight 007, the U.S. and Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. The events were highly classified at the time, so little was known of the exact details.
Air Force Times
Veterans Affairs programs would see a 20 percent increase in funding under the White House budget plan for fiscal 2023 released March 28, pushing the department’s spending total above $300 billion for the first time. The department has seen steady increases annually as multiple administrations have sought to increase medical care and support services for veterans.
Defense One
The head of Boeing’s $26 billion defense and space business is retiring after nearly 35 years with the company, the firm announced March 28. Ted Colbert will replace Leanne Caret as the head of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, the third-largest U.S. defense firm. Caret will remain an adviser to CEO Dave Calhoun until an unspecified retirement date later this year. Colbert is the head of Boeing Global Services, a division that handles maintenance and repairs of airliners and military systems.
The Drive
Ukraine is poised to introduce a new ground-based air defense system to its war against Russia’s invasion forces, with the announcement that the British-supplied Starstreak man-portable air defense system, or MANPADS, is “ready to be used imminently.” Once fielded in combat, the Starstreak will be the latest addition to a growing armory of similar systems used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Starstreak—also known as the High-Velocity Missile (HVM)—incorporates several unique features for a weapon of its class and merits further examination.
Federal News Network
In light of recent state laws criminalizing parents and doctors who help transgender children take steps to affirm their gender, and other legislation banning official talk about sexual orientation in schools, the Department of the Air Force is offering support to those living in affected communities. The resources are a rare step where the Air and Space Forces recognize a hostile environment created by governments in states where the services often send their troops.
One More Thing
Task & Purpose
In an age when almost everyone has a smartphone camera, and in a combat zone where an internet connection is still readily available, it is inevitable: Live updates from the front lines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine delivered in real time. “Alright. So far, we took out seven Russian tanks, after a long firefight we took control of the area,” says a self-described U.S. Army veteran who traveled to Ukraine and volunteered to fight there.
