The US Air Force is facing the task of defending the globe with 126 F-22A Raptors, according to Gen. Ronald E. Keys, head of Air Combat Command. Keys told the Newport News Daily Press that the plan to purchase only...

Air National Guard units in Indiana and Vermont are getting ready to head to Southwest Asia in spring 2006 as part of USAF’s next Air and Space Expeditionary rotation. Indiana ANG officials told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette that this AEF rotation will mark the largest deployment for the 122nd Fighter Wing since 1961. On its last SWA tour in August 2004, the 122nd deployed some 275 airmen. Vermont ANG officials told reporters that the 158th will be sending more than 400 airmen; the unit deployed about 350 for an AEF in June 2004. According to the Burlington Free Press, all members of the 158th volunteered for the upcoming rotation.

US Central Command Air Forces officials report that coalition airpower flew almost 1,200 combat and support sorties for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan from Dec. 29, 2005-Jan. 1, 2006. In combat action in Iraq over the last three days of...

The past year definitely finished on a high note for the Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Air Mobility Wing. The BRAC commission overruled the Pentagon, stripping the 182nd at Greater Peoria Airport of four C-130s and eliminated a planned personnel...

According to a recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, Americans say the President and Congress should make the issues of terrorism and Iraq their two highest priorities for 2006. More than half the Americans polled in mid-December placed these two issues in...

Another CNN/USAF Today/Gallup poll asked Americans about their view on whether the win factor for Iraq. The results of the Dec. 16-18 survey show almost an equal split. Some 49 percent believe the US will win the war in Iraq,...

Gordon England has been serving as the Acting Deputy Defense Secretary since May 2005, but he also retained his leadership of the Navy. On Dec. 29, England formally resigned as Secretary of the Navy. The new Navy Boss, Donald Winter—confirmed...

The Pentagon released the executive summary of the study on acquisition review led by retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish in December with little public flourish. It now joins the ranks of some 128 previous so-called acquisition reform studies...

The Kadish review says the root of acquisition problems are “deeply embedded in many of the management systems” in use within DOD. It offers recommendations ranging from organizational—creating a flexible system to deal with today’s rapidly changing needs—to workforce issues—shifting...

US Air Force officials say that three C-130s delivered more than 41,000 pounds of earthquake relief supplies to Pakistan from Dec. 23-30. They estimate that USAF and contract aircraft have flown in more than 10 million pounds of supplies since...

Rhein-Main Is Really Gone: US Air Force officials delivered the keys to Rhein-Main AB, Germany, to officials with the Frankfurt International Airport on Dec. 30, the day before the base formally reverted to Germany. US military flight operations had ended...

The Pentagon quashed a plan by the Air Force and other services to begin training personnel to work with the new National Security Personnel System. USAF has just contracted with a Virginia company to train its civilian personnel supervisors over the course of five years. A Dec. 23 memo put a hold on “NSPS-specific content training” for the month of January, saying DOD expected to provide a progress update early this month. The Pentagon needs “more time” to simplify how supervisors will measure performance and to ensure “the system is simple, clear, and understandable,” states the memo.

The Air Force apparently is gearing up to celebrate its 60th anniversary—which will be Sept. 18, 2007, the date the Air Force became a separate service. USAF leaders already have named Col. Benjamin J. Hulsey to serve as Director for...

Lawmakers did add a late provision to the last-minute workings on the 2006 defense authorization bill that would permit adoption of military working dogs—under “unusual or extraordinary circumstances”—before they have reached the end of their military working life. The story...

The Pentagon has established a focal point for its efforts to address the problem of sexual assault within the military. It is called the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. Word of its creation came in December, but the new...

December 29, 2005-January 1, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 51 14 – 65 CAS/Armed Recon 206 61 – 267 Airlift – – 730 730 Air refueling – – 116 116 Total 257 75 846 1,178 OIF=Operation Iraqi...