Radar Sweep
WATCH: vAWS ‘21 Day 1 Highlight Report
The new enlisted guide to professional military education; the Chief of Staff on force employment and legacy systems; and the KC-46 begins to contribute. All this and more from Day 1 of the Air Force Association’s virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium.
Austin Eyes Rolling Back Trump-Era Policy on Special Operations
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III is considering undoing his predecessor’s last-minute decision to elevate the top civilian Pentagon official overseeing special operations matters, signaling his intent to continue rolling back the policies of the Trump administration.
Air Force Working to Minimize Damage from ABMS Budget Cut
The Air Force is reassessing how to keep the momentum going for its top-priority Advanced Battle Management System program in the wake of congressional action last year to whack its 2021 budget request nearly in half.
Air Force Research Laboratory Wants to Add More Vanguard Programs
The Air Force Research Laboratory wants to add more Vanguard programs in the coming year while accelerating development of its existing programs, said AFRL Commander Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle. The AFRL’s Vanguard programs target transformational science and technology components and integrated systems that can demonstrate leap-ahead capabilities.
General Atomics Tests New MQ-9 Reaper System for AI JADC2 Ops
General Atomics has for the first time flown a new system on the MQ-9 Reaper that will enable the remotely piloted aircraft to use the kind of artificial intelligence and other advanced computing technologies the Air National Guard is pursuing under its Ghost Reaper project.
Air Force Considers Allowing Airmen to Attend Funerals Without Charging Leave
The top enlisted leader of the Air Force, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass, told Task & Purpose she is a “firm believer” in creating a bereavement leave category, but there are several hoops to jump through before such a policy can become real, including Congressional approval. And the Air Force is also working with other services to possibly create a joint policy.
FBI, DHS, and Pentagon Officials to Testify on Capitol Riot
Intelligence community officials will appear before senators in their second hearing examining the breakdown in security during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security will appear before a joint session of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs panel on March 3.
Iran’s Latest Indigenous Drone Is a Predator Lookalike
The appearance of the new drone follows longstanding Iranian claims of having captured one of the U.S.-made Predators.
USAF Engineer Pops the Question During FOD Walk at Laughlin
Foreign object debris walks are typically all about keeping things—especially garbage and aircrafts’ inner workings—apart. But during a recent safety-driven jaunt at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, two members of the 47th Civil Engineer Squadron decided to tie their futures together.