The 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland AFB, N.M., now has the “required assets available” to begin training Air Force Special Operations airmen on the new CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft. The RAA signifies that the 58th has the requisite number of instructors, aircraft, and maintenance crews to aircrew training. In fact, a Feb. 13 news release states the first class of pilots and flight engineers began on Jan. 30. AFSOC expects to declare initial operational capability with the Osprey in January 2009.
Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held meetings with defense leaders from the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea during a trip to the Indo-Pacific this week.