Daily Report

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) pulled no punches last week in an impromptu Senate floor speech in which he said Defense Secretary Robert Gates had put "politics and business interests" first when he cancelled a planned revival of USAF's KC-X tanker program late last year. Shelby, an ardent supporter of the Northrop Grumman tanker, asserted that Gates "sent a clear message that only a Boeing tanker will be acceptable." He elaborated by outlining the ongoing pricing data dispute raised by Northrop that DOD rejected, saying the data is now old so it has no bearing on the new contest. Shelby said: "Northrop Grumman-EADS offered a clearly better plane, at a price that was $3 billion less than Boeing. And now, today, Boeing knows how they did it." Continue

The 2010 defense policy bill, just passed by the House, has authorized $430 million to continue development and another $130 million for procurement of the General Electric-Rolls Royce F136 engine, again trumping DOD’s pursuit of only the Pratt & Whitney...

: The new remotely piloted vehicle formal training unit at Holloman AFB, N.M., recently completed its first local flight of an MQ-9 Reaper RPV on Oct. 1, according to an Oct. 8 release, which also notes that the 432nd Operations...

When Senate and House authorizers last week reached agreement on the 2010 defense policy bill, they included language to prohibit USAF from carrying out its legacy fighter retirement plan until at least 30 days after the service provides “a detailed...

The 2010 defense authorization bill intends to repeal the National Security Personnel System. Lawmakers, like the American Federation of Government Employees, obviously did not agree with a recent recommendation by a Pentagon task force that suggested the NSPS could be...

According to an Associated Press report, the airmen of the 319th Communications Squadron at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., cut a ceremonial ribbon Oct. 8 for their new mission—alternate control station for the Air Force’s High Frequency Global Communication System. The...

The Air Force has awarded a Bronze Star Medal to SMSgt. Shawn Ricchuito, with the 886th Civil Engineer Squadron at Ramstein AB, Germany, for his actions while deployed to support operations in Southwest Asia. Ricchuito served as chief of the...

The Air Force has a new recruiting commercial—one that features its combat search and rescue mission. It started airing last week in various TV markets and at select movie theaters. The first two ads in this series highlighted unmanned aircraft...

Retired Lt. Gen. Raymond B. Furlong died Sept. 28 at his home. He was 83. Furlong started his Air Force career as an aviation cadet in 1948, receiving his wings and commission a year later. He served as a fighter...

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, Oct. 6, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 26 30 56 12,683 CAS/Armed Recon 22 86 108 27,116 Airlift 151 151 36,998 Air refueling 56 56 13,406 Total 371 90,203 OIF=Operation Iraqi...