Daily Report

Aeronautical Systems Center officials at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, have asked industry what promising technologies could be part of the next-generation tactical airlifter dubbed the joint future theater lift capability, or JFTL. This platform, the notional replacement to legacy C-130s, is eyed for fielding in the mid 2020s. USAF officials intend to use the feedback they receive from last week's capability request for information posted at the Federal Business Opportunities website to support the Air Force's Fiscal 2014 program objective memorandum. The CRFI is meant "to investigate the realm of the possible," states the notice. The Air Force wants JFTL to be able to operate routinely in "complex, austere, unimproved/unprepared landing areas" in environments where "increased capacity, speed, payload, range, agility, access, depth, precision, simultaneity, and survivability will be at a premium," states the document. Responses are due by Dec. 7. (CRFI document)

The second and final Air Force Week of 2010 officially kicks off on Tuesday in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Air Force Under Secretary Erin Conaton will speak at the proclamation ceremony at the Cocoa Beach pier. During the course of the...

An MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft crashed last week at Holloman AFB, N.M., as it was returning from a training mission, base officials stated in a release. The aircraft was assigned to the 6th Reconnaissance Squadron, a component of Holloman’s...

An apparent malfunction with a valve prevented the Airborne Laser Test Bed from completing an attempt last week to shoot down a boosting ballistic missile off of the central California coast, the Missile Defense Agency announced. The objective of the...

Suzie Schwartz, wife of Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, was featured speaker at last week’s ceremony in San Antonio rededicating the Air Force Village on its 40th anniversary. “The village’s dedication to providing a quality living environment and care...

Members of the 321st Special Tactics Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, Britain, were among the US forces who participated in the Jackal Stone 10 exercise in Lithuania and Poland. The event brought together special operations forces from Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,...

Raytheon says it has successfully tested in flight a new small-sized, precision-guided bomb specifically designed for carriage on remotely piloted aircraft. Raytheon’s Cobra RPA testbed released two Small Tactical Munitions on two separate passes during tests at Yuma Proving Grounds,...

Tonight Show host Jay Leno was on hand for the recent grand opening of Air Force Reserve’s new recruiting station in Wasilla, Alaska. He then watched Maj. Gen. Frank Padilla, 10th Air Force commander, lead 13 Alaskans through the oath...

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, Oct. 16, 2010 Sortie Type OND OEF OND/OEF Total YTD ISR 23 68 91 21,653 CAS/Armed Recon 14 89 103 28,146 Airlift 168 168 50,151 Air refueling 49 49 14,004 Rescue 25 25 6,418 Total...