Daily Report

Lockheed Martin announced Monday that GEO-1, the Air Force's first Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous orbit satellite, has arrived at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., in preparation for its scheduled launch in early May. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will carry the sophisticated early warning satellite into space. "GEO-1 delivery to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station represents the program’s most significant milestone to date and I am proud of the entire SBIRS team dedicated to delivering this cutting-edge missile warning spacecraft," said Jeff Smith, Lockheed's SBIRS program director. "GEO-1 will play a vital role in our national security space architecture, and we look forward to getting this satellite on orbit," added Col. Roger Teague, who heads the Air Force's infrared space systems directorate. An Air Force C-5 transport flew the satellite from Sunnyvale, Calif., site of Lockheed's SBIRS production facility, to Florida. (See also Los Angeles release)

SSgt Andrew Rios, a pararescueman with the 38th Rescue Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., has received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for combat action in Afghanistan in 2009. An HH-60G Pave Hawk door gunner, Rios covered the evacuation of...

AF-7, the Air Force’s second production-version F-35A strike fighter, has flown for the first time, prime contractor Lockheed Martin announced Monday. The conventional takeoff and landing aircraft took to the skies for 1.3 hours during its maiden mission on March...

Eligible officers with prior enlisted service who have completed 20 years of total active federal military service may apply by Sept. 1 to retire early thanks to the Fiscal 2011 defense authorization act. “This new legislation gives the Air Force...

The Air Force is looking to accelerate its environmental clean-up activities in an effort to free up land for military or civilian use and to ease the burden on taxpayers for site clean-up. The plan calls for shifting focus from...

As Congress makes tough budgetary decisions regarding Air Force Reserve airmen and assets, it should focus on “force readiness, force rebalance, and force support,” said AFR Chief Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner. “Our Reservists are integrated into every mission, in every...

The first-ever command chief of Air Force Global Strike Command is moving on to a new leadership role with US Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany. CMSgt. Jack Johnson arrived at Global Strike Command headquarters at Barksdale AFB, La., in August...

The Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing in Cheyenne recently received its first new-generation Modular Airborne Firefighting System, MAFFS II, for its C-130s. Thanks to a single pressure-fed nozzle ducted through the aft paratroop door, MAFFS II achieves denser...

Maintainers have removed the four, eight-bladed NP-2000 propellers that had been fitted to a C-130 of the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing since 2007 as part of an evaluation at Edwards AFB, Calif. Wing airmen briefly returned the...