Daily Report

The production timeline for the Air Force’s final F-22s on order remains on track despite the Raptor fleet’s four-month grounding, announced Lockheed Martin. The last F-22 is still on schedule to roll off the assembly line in Marietta, Ga., in...

SSgt. Caleb Gilbreath, a Combat Control School instructor at Pope Field, N.C., received the Silver Star medal for his “extraordinary bravery” in Afghanistan in late 2009. Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, presented the Silver...

The Air Force cleared the F-15E Strike Eagle’s radar modernization program to enter low-rate initial production starting next month, announced Boeing. “The RMP is the latest modification under way for the F-15E,” said Karen Butler, Boeing’s program manager. “It will...

The Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Directorate at Kirtland AFB, N.M., oversaw Tuesday's successful launch of the Tactical Satellite-4 aboard a Minotaur IV+ rocket from Kodiak, Alaska. "I am really excited about TacSat-4," said Peter Wegner, director of the Pentagon's Operationally Responsive Space Office at Kirtland, in a release. He continued, "It is a little bit of a surprise as not many people have paid attention to it. It is sort of an underdog mission." During its one year of planned activity, the experimental communications satellite should enable ground troops to remain in contact via legacy hand-held radios even when they are operating in difficult mountainous and urban terrain. "This capability does not currently exist," said Wegner. The Navy led the satellite's development. This launch was the first successful mission of the Minotaur IV+ booster configuration. (Includes Los Angeles release)

Maj. Gen. David Senty, US Cyber Command’s first-ever chief of staff, is set to retire Friday after 36 years of uniformed service. Senty, a mobilized Air Force Reservist, played a key role in standing up the command, which is expected...

SSgt. Thomas Jenkins, the noncommissioned officer in charge of weather systems with the 47th Operations Support Squadron’s weather flight at Laughlin AFB, Tex., has developed a mathematical formula that significantly improves the Air Force’s ability to predict dust storms. During...

Iraq’s government signed an agreement with the United States to acquire 18 Lockheed Martin-built F-16 Block 52 fighters to re-equip its air force, reported Reuters. A Lockheed representative told the Daily Report Tuesday that the company “is pleased by the...

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi warned Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the US plan to upgrade Taiwan’s fleet of F-16s could ruin relations between the two super powers, reported Reuters. Monday’s warning apparently did not come as a surprise...

US Pacific Command officials continue to carefully monitor North Korea, as they remain concerned about the threats that the country poses to Asian-Pacific security following a series of provocations last year, said Adm. Robert Willard, PACOM commander, Tuesday. During a...