Delay on Tanker Comp

Bowing to current events—a new Defense Secretary, program changes, and Congressional concerns—has led the Air Force to delay issuing a final request for proposal on its tanker replacement program. Reuters news service reports USAF has bumped the final RFP date...

Pressing the Messages

The Air Force has old aircraft, in fact it is “flying the oldest fleet in its history,” Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne reminded personnel during a stop at Aviano AB, Italy. He said that when he left the service in...

The Shoo-In on Recapitalization

Defense Secretary nominee Robert Gates breezed through the packed Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, with Senators bent on replacing Donald Rumsfeld sooner than yesterday. Everyone expects Gates to receive full Senate affirmation, if not acclamation Wednesday. Responding to questions...

Let’s Talk Cargo Tails

The budgetary wisdom expressed by Robert Gates, who appears certain to become the new defense chief, should encourage those in and out of the Air Force who think the Pentagon has, among other things, shorted the airlift fleet. Just this...

The Iraq Group Study Is Out

The bipartisan Iraq Study Group publicly released its report as promised Wednesday, and the bottom line is: “There is no magic formula to solve the problems of Iraq. However, there are actions that can be taken to improve the situation.”...

The Half & Half Approach

Air Force Reserve Command plans to halve its 7,744 position cut between individual mobilization augmentees and unit Reservists, Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, chief of the Air Force Reserve, told a Capitol Hill seminar Tuesday. The cut is AFRC’s share...

From Sea to Mountains

The Reservists of the 301st Rescue Squadron at Patrick AFB, Fla., headed west last month to practice for their upcoming deployment to Southwest Asia. Part of Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick, the squadron spends most of...

A Well-oiled Machine

The Air Force’s aeromedical system and specialized military medical teams worked “beautifully,” said Lt. Col. Leslie Ann, director of the Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center, to get the sailors injured in a steam line accident from Guam to the Army...

Luke F-16 Crashes:

The instructor pilot and student pilot flying an F-16 from Luke AFB, Ariz., ejected safely from the fighter before it crashed Dec. 4 on the Barry Goldwater Range. The Air Force is investigating the accident.

Drop in Anytime:

Air Force Reserve Command officials of the 934th Airlift Wing at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport/Air Reserve Station, Minn., gained an additional five years to use private property for practice air drops when they signed a new lease agreement in mid-November with...

A Different Kind of Gremlin Story:

As part of USAF’s 60th anniversary commemoration, the Army-Air Force Exchange Service has resurrected a favorite children’s classic from World War II—The Gremlins: A Royal Air Force Story, by renowned children’s author Roald Dahl. Originally published in 1943 with a...

The Air Force on Show:

The Air Force has released the 2007 schedule for the Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration team and the list of cities hosting Air Force Week in 2007. The Thunderbirds plan to participate in more than 68 shows in 21 states and nine...

Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism

Dec. 5, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 14 12 26 CAS/Armed Recon 33 46 79 Airlift 130 130 Air refueling 28 28 Total 47 58 158 263 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance