The Obama Administration seeks a baseline budget of $119.6 billion for the Air Force in Fiscal 2011, plus $20.8 billion to fund the service’s share of fighting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This $140.4 billion request represents two percent real growth over the enacted appropriations for Air Force-specific activities in this fiscal year, said USAF budget officials. Some 63 percent of the baseline request covers the service’s day-to-day operations ($45.8 billion for operations and maintenance and $29.3 billion for military personnel), while 20 percent ($24.2 billion) goes towards procurement, 15 percent ($18.2 billion) for research and development, and two percent ($2.2 billion) for military construction. The combined baseline/war spending proposal seeks 97 manned and 52 unmanned aircraft. The baseline request buys two satellites and supports development of the KC-X tanker, new utility helicopter, and future long-range strike capabilities. It supports an active duty force of 332,200. Continue
In a dramatic flare-up in the hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, American forces struck and destroyed five Iranian oil tankers Sept. 8, U.S. Central Command said. Iran retaliated by lobbing ballistic missiles toward a major U.S. base in Jordan, according to Iranian state media.
