Daily Report

The C-27J Spartan fleet is still grounded almost a month after the Air Force pulled the aircraft from flight status to investigate a flight-control issue encountered by one of the mini airlifters on a July 10 training sortie. “The C-27J...

The Air Force is creating a new career field that will merge aerial gunners and flight engineers from its HH-60G Pave Hawks and CV-22 Ospreys with loadmasters from its AC-130 Gunships and other non-standard special-mission aircraft, announced service officials on...

Since its activation in August 2009, Air Force Global Strike Command has successfully built effective and efficient command relationships between its numbered air forces, wings, and bases, found auditors in the Pentagon's inspector general's office. This ensures a ready and focused nuclear enterprise, they stated in a recently issued IG report that assessed the command's organizational structure. The IG aufitors found that planned changes to AFGSC, such as a reduction in overall headquarters personnel from 1,079 to 975 by the first quarter of Fiscal 2013, would lead to further efficiencies. However, they cautioned that good communication between AFGSC headquarters, 8th Air Force, and 20th Air Force would be key as those reductions take place to prevent "a diminished ability on the part of AFGSC and/or the NAFs to meet their responsibilities," states the report, which is dated July 20. The auditors also found that the Air Force needs to do a better job recruiting candidates for key nuclear billets. "In some instances, billets were reportedly filled by persons lacking any semblance of nuclear expertise," states the report. (IG report; caution, large-sized file.)

The Air Force has awarded a contract to Sodexo of Gaithersburg, Md., to execute the second phase of the Food Transformation Initiative at seven installations, announced service personnel officials Aug. 6. Sodexo will begin FTI operations on Oct. 1 at...

The US Forest Service recalled two firefighting C-130s to Boise Air Terminal, Idaho, to counter the increased risk of wildfire in the western states. This brought the size of the Modular Airborne Firefighting System-equipped C-130 force at Boise back to...

Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said it was "disappointing" and "dangerous" that the Senate chose last week to filibuster the Cybersecurity Act of 2012. Bill supporters, like Udall, claim that the legislation would prevent cyber attacks on critical American networks and infrastructure. "The threat of cyber attack isn't impending—it's here," stated Udall in an Aug. 2 release. He added, "We already know many of the steps we need to take to mitigate or prevent these attacks. The only thing getting in the way is politics." Several days earlier, Udall introduced amendements to the legislation, including one provision that called for permanently establishing cyber defense training programs at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. "If we don't strengthen our defenses, our computer networks will be increasingly vulnerable to attacks, which have already been launched against such critical systems as our nuclear infrastructure, financial institutions, and water treatment facilities," he wrote. (CSA full text; caution. large-sized file.)

Air Force Reserve Command pararescuemen joined Royal Canadian Air Force search-and-rescue technicians for a week of SAR and parachute training in the Canadian northwest. “The purpose was to work with our Canadian brethren, the SAR techs [and] see how they...

The Senate Appropriations Committee did not allow any procurement funds in Fiscal 2013 for the Air Force's Small Diameter Bomb II program. Committee members said it would be "premature" to begin producing the bomb since "significant testing" remains in its development. Further, since SDB II integration with the F-15E and F-35B/F-35C must occur before the bomb may enter full-rate production—and F-35 integration is not scheduled to begin until Fiscal 2017—it does not make sense to award production funding now, said these lawmakers in the report accompanying their version of the Fiscal 2013 defense appropriations bill. The committee approved the bill on Aug. 2. The committee's action cut $40 million from the Air Force's funding request. However, the lawmakers did fully fund SDB II research and development next fiscal year. They called on the Air Force to "modify its acquisition strategy to align with F-15E and [F-35] integration and consider an optimal production rate that minimizes individual unit costs." (SAC report; caution, large-sized file.)

Defense Department forensic scientists identified the remains of two airmen who had been missing in action since the Vietnam War, announced the Pentagon on Aug. 6. Lt. Col. Charles M. Walling of Phoenix and Maj. Aado Kommendant of Lakewood, N.J.,...

Insitu announced completion of the first flight of the RQ-21A, the small-sized remotely piloted aircraft that it is developing for the Navy and Marine Corps under the Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System program. “First flight of the RQ-21A marks the...