Daily Report

SSgt. Zachary Rhyner, a combat controller at Pope AFB, N.C., will receive the Air Force Cross March 10 at a ceremony in the Pentagon. Rhyner, a member of Air Force Special Operations Command’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron, is being honored...

s: On Feb. 18, less than two weeks after the Air Force issued a record of decision to base 59 F-35s at Eglin AFB, Fla., initially and perhaps more later, after the service conducts a supplemental environmental impact analysis (see...

Believing that the voices of those who support bringing the F-35 to Eglin AFB, Fla., are being drowned out by those opposed to it, the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County has launched a pro-F-35 campaign. The Northwest Florida Daily...

Lt. Gen. Gary North, commander of Air Forces Central, says he’d like to see the F-22 come to Southwest Asia as soon as is possible—but for training purposes only. “I look forward to when we can get it in the...

Lockheed Martin on Feb. 27 delivered the third C-5M Super Galaxy transport to the Air Force. The aircraft was flown from the company’s facility in Marietta, Ga., to Dover AFB, Del. “This delivery is yet another success in the C-5 modernization program,” said Lorraine Martin, Lockheed’s C-5 program vice president. This aircraft is the second C-5M to go to Dover. The first of the initial three C-5Ms arrived at Robins AFB, Ga., in December. Overall, the Air Force intends to upgrade 52 of its 111 C-5s to the M-model configuration by 2016. This variant features new General Electric CF6-80C2 engines, new avionics and about 70 reliability enhancements. These attributes are designed to give the massive airlifter the ability to climb higher and faster and carry more cargo over longer distances. The C-5M program will enter production this summer. Lockheed announced Feb. 26 that is has received two contracts totaling $324 million to continue work on the C-5Ms.

The flight of two Russian TU-95 Bear bombers near the Canadian border last month on the eve of President Obama’s visit to Canada clearly irked the Canadian government. “I am not going to stand here and accuse the Russians of...

The Obama Administration’s proposed $533.7 billion budget for the Department of Defense in Fiscal 2010 includes a 2.9 percent pay increase for US service personnel. The figure, somewhat lower than pay raises requested in the past two years, reflects the...

Feb. 28, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 29 16 45 2,333 CAS/Armed Recon 25 61 86 5,893 Airlift 200 200 7,641 Air refueling 38 38 2,729 Total 369 18,596 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance...