Air Education and Training Command released a strategic plan for 2016 aimed at “forging innovative airmen to power the world’s greatest Air Force,” according to a release. AETC is “foundational to everything the US Air Force does. This plan clearly articulates how we can be successful today and agile enough to meet future challenges to keep America’s Air Force the strongest on the planet,” Commander Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson said in the release. The plan has four strategic vectors: motivational mission accomplishment, taking care of airmen and families, innovation, and leadership. Roberson said it “intentionally aligns our mission to Air Force imperatives, and it’s intentionally short.” (Read the full plan.)
B-52 Stratofortress bombers marked a new first in Operation Epic Fury when some of the BUFFs flew over Iran carrying JDAM-guided gravity bombs, according to people familiar with the matter. The development signals a weakening of Iranian air defenses and a new use for the venerable bomber in the nearly…