Air Mobility’s Biggest Exercise Set to Begin

More than 3,000 personnel from 25 countries are set to project airpower over the Pacific Northwest for two weeks as part of AMC’s first Mobility Guardian exercise.

Read the full report by Brian Ev?erstine

North Korea Tests Another ICBM

The Air Force again sent B-1B bombers to the Korean Peninsula shortly after North Korea successfully conducted its second test of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday. Two Lancers, deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, from Dyess AFB, Texas, were escorted by Japanese and South Korean fighters during a 10-hour flight in “direct response” to North Korea’s test, according to a Pacific Air Forces release. In addition to the flight, the US and South Korean militaries exercised “precision fire capabilities” by firing the US Army’s Tactical Missile System and the Hyunmoo Missile II, according to an 8th US Army statement. The Missile Defense Agency on Sunday also conducted a successful test of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the Pacific. An Air Force C-17 air-launched a medium-range target ballistic missile, which was intercepted by a THAAD system at the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska, according to an MDA statement. This was the 15th successful intercept in 15 tests for the system. The US military this spring deployed part of a THAAD system to South Korea before the deployment was halted by the South Korean government. On Friday, South Korea’s president ordered discussions to begin again with the US to continue deploying the system, according to Reuters. The Friday test by North Korea was the second time the Kim Jong Un regime has successfully tested an ICBM this month. At about 10:40 a.m. Eastern time, the US detected the launch and determined it was not a threat. The missile flew about 45 minutes, covering about 1,000 kilometers, before landing in the Sea of Japan. — Brian Everstine

More Linguists On the Way for ISR Mission

The Air Force announced Friday a $70 million contract with the Kapsuun Group to provide linguist and analyst support services for the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission. Kapsuun will provide 1N3 ground linguists and 1A8 airborne linguists, on an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, to a range of units, including the 25th Air Force’s 55th Wing, 70th and 480th ISR Wings, the 361st ISR Group, and the 24th Air Force’s 67th and 688th Cyberspace Wings.

House Approves Security Appropriations Bill

The House approved a bill combining appropriations for the Department of Defense, military construction and veterans, and nuclear programs on Thursday by a vote of 235-192. The bill provides $584 billion in base spending for the Pentagon and $74 billion in overseas contingency operations (OCO) money. Those numbers are $20 billion more than President Donald Trump requested in his budget proposal, but $38 billion less than the House approved in its defense policy bill. The defense appropriations approved by the House also exceeds the spending caps set in place by the Budget Control Act of 2011, so Congress would have to negotiate a new budget deal in order to enact the legislation. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said in a press release that the law was “carefully crafted” to fulfill the House’s aims of “funding our critical military priorities, supporting our veterans, and making our borders more secure.” Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, voted against the bill, saying in a press release that it contains “an untenable level of funding for the Department of Defense” and is “completely disconnected from the realities that our country faces and the spending choices we must make.” —Wilson Brissett

The 914th Fire Emergency Services renders a water salute to the last C-130 at Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y., on July 26. Air Force photo by TSgt. Steph Sawyer

Niagara Falls Says Goodbye to its Last C-130