Weapons Cuts Coming
Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz knows that the Air Force must make its “best argument” when it comes to determining “what the right mix is, from fighters to our big airplanes to satellites,” as it faces a tough fiscal...
On the Shortlist
Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana stands to gain personnel from an expansion of its current nuclear mission and its potential as the site for the service’s new Global Strike Command, so says Lt. Gen. Robert Elder Jr., head of...
Russian-inspired Cyber Attack?
Top Pentagon officials last week briefed President Bush on a recent cyber attack that seemed to target US Central Command networks and may have originated within Russia, reports the Los Angeles Times. There are frequent electronic attacks on US military...
Poor Maintenance Showing
It was repeat “marginal” ratings by the 8th Maintenance Group at Kunsan AB, South Korea, that prompted Gen. Howie Chandler, Pacific Air Forces boss, in mid-November to fire Col. Bryan Bearden from his post as commander of Kunsan’s 8th Fighter...
ABL Succeeds in Full-up Weapons Test
The Boeing-led Airborne Laser industry team announced Monday (Boeing release) that the program has completed the second of its two “knowledge points” scheduled for 2008 in preparation for a live shootdown next year—the first took place in September with firing...
Eye of the Beholder?
George Sarris, a senior civilian aircraft mechanic at Offutt AFB, Neb., believes there are continuing maintenance issues that represent safety-of-flight concerns for the RC-135 aircraft flown out of the base, reports the Kansas City Star. Sarris and several other mechanics...
Another Long-Flying Hog Pilot
Lt. Col. David Dressel on Nov. 21 flew past the 3,000-flying hour mark during a close air support mission over Afghanistan. He expects to reach 500 combat flying hours during his current deployment to Bagram AB, Afghanistan, from the 75th...
Doolittle Raiders Die
Retired Maj. Gen. David M. Jones and retired MSgt. Edward W. Horton Jr., both of whom flew with the famed World War II Doolittle Raiders, died Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, respectively. Jones, 94, died at his home in Tucson,...
Briefer Briefs
Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Remington took command of 7th Air Force during a Nov. 24 ceremony at Osan AB, South Korea, replacing Lt. Gen. Stephen Wood, who retires as of Jan. 1, 2009. • Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly has replaced...
Air Sorties from SWA
Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest AsiaNov. 28-29, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 45 30 75 12,325 CAS/Armed Recon 83 116 199 34,385 Airlift 255 255 43,395 Air refueling 93 93 16,753 Total 622 106,858...