Defending the Deterrent
A heavyweight commission pours cold water on wishful thinking about nuclear arms.
June 2009
Vol. 92, No. 6
Highlights from the June 2009 Issue
Is the Total Force Aging Out?
The Guard and Reserve have an “old aircraft” problem. Proposed fighter cuts will make it more acute.
The Afghan Escalation
To a great extent, airpower defines the art of the possible in Afghanistan.
Like SAC
Eighth Air Force is moving to emulate USAF’s legendary nuclear force.
Team Airlift
Eleven European air forces will pool their talents with the US to make the most of three C-17 transpor
The Invasion That Didn’t Happen
Before the atomic bombs brought an end to the war, US troops were set for massive amphibious landings
Sustain and Retain
Through February, enlisted retention was at 93 percent of the year-to-date goals.
Carbon Copy Bomber
The new Soviet bomber was really just a knockoff of a famous American bomber—no Bull.
The Ups and Downs of Foreign Bases
Rumsfeld’s Global Posture Review kicked off a reformation that goes on today.
CyberPatriot Smackdown
Florida high schoolers square off in an unusual battle to defend a computer network.
Washington Watch
The Gates manifesto; Those 60 F-22s; Hamre on DOD decision-making ....
Air Force World
Afghan Buildup Sketched The Air Force’s presence inside Afghanistan will grow by more than 30 percent in coming months as the US military surges forces there, Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz said April 7 during a visit to...
Thinking About an “Engine War”
In the early 1980s, engine manufacturers Pratt & Whitney and General Electric began an unusual, decade-long struggle. The goal each year was to win the largest annual share of F-15 and F-16 engine contracts from the Air Force. This became...
MiG-15 Fagot
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Verbatim
What Terrorism “In my speech, although I did not use the word ‘terrorism,’ I referred to ‘man-caused’ disasters. That is perhaps only a nuance, but it demonstrates that we want to move away from the politics of fear toward a...
No-War-Itis” in the 1930s”
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FDR’s Fifty Thousand Airplanes
“Ominous Days” President Franklin D. Roosevelt Address at Joint Session of Congress The Capitol, Washington, D.C. May 16, 1940 FULL TEXT VERSION In 1939, the Air Corps had only 1,200 bombers and fighters, many obsolete. The US public, however, was...
Bomb Away
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Letters
The Gates Budget Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently fired the Air Force Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force for supposedly mismanaging nuclear weapons. But we all know they were fired for having “next-war-itis.” We all know...
Books
This article is only available in PDF format. Read the article.
AFA National Report
While We Have Your Attention As the local newspaper reporter for The Meridian Star noted, the real reason for the Meridian Chapter (Miss.) reception in April was to present awards to outstanding airmen from the Air National Guard’s 186th Air...
Complete Contents of June 2009 PDF
PDF Downloads are an Air & Space Forces Association member benefit.Defending the Deterrent By Robert S. Dudney
A heavyweight commission pours cold water on wishful thinking about nuclear arms.
Is the Total Force Aging Out?
The Guard and Reserve have an "old aircraft" problem. Proposed fighter cuts will make it more acute.
The Afghan Escalation
To a great extent, airpower defines the art of the possible in Afghanistan.
Like SAC
Eighth Air Force is moving to emulate USAF's legendary nuclear force.
Team Airlift
Eleven European air forces will pool their talents with the US to make the most of three C-17 transports.
The Invasion That Didn't Happen
Before the atomic bombs brought an end to the war, US troops were set for massive amphibious landings in the Japanese home islands.
Sustain and Retain
Through February, enlisted retention was at 93 percent of the year-to-date goals.
Carbon Copy Bomber
The new Soviet bomber was really just a knockoff of a famous American bomber-no Bull.
58 The Ups and Downs of Foreign Bases
Rumsfeld's Global Posture Review kicked off a reformation that goes on today.
CyberPatriot Smackdown
Florida high schoolers square off in an unusual battle to defend a computer network.
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