According to the GAO’s assessment of the CSAR-X contract award, the Air Force used “inconsistent” criteria when it evaluated the lifecycle costs presented by the three bidders—Boeing, Lockheed Martin-Agusta Westland, and Sikorsky. The contract has been on hold while the...

The Government Accountability Office has ruled in favor of the Lockheed Martin-Agusta Westland US101 team and Sikorsky protests over the Air Force’s award of the combat search and rescue aircraft replacement program contract to Boeing. The decisions, which are non-binding but certainly cast some doubt on the program, came late Monday. Both Lockheed and Sikorsky issued statements, each saying that they are certain their aircraft will win out in the end. The CSAR-X program potentially is worth $15 billion through the full production of 141 aircraft. The selection of the HH-47 surprised many defense analysts, who thought the US101 had the advantage since the Marine Corps chose it as the new Presidential transport. Service leaders said that they chose the Boeing HH-47 for best value and fast delivery—several months earlier than either competitor. The Air Force’s expected 2012 initial operational capability now may be in jeopardy.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates sat in the cockpit of one of the Air Force’s F-22A Raptors during a visit to Langley AFB, Va. Seated in the new stealthy fighter, Gates listened to a review of its attributes from Lt. Col....

Members of the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va., took their F-22 Raptors out to Red Flag for the first time from Feb. 3-16, getting the chance to duke it out in the skies of Nellis AFB, Nev., with...

Despite the training space available on the Nellis AFB, Nev., ranges, Col. Tom Bergeson, commander of the 1st Operations Group at Langley AFB, Va., said there were a few limitations on the F-22A Raptors during their first engagement at Red...

A Taliban suicide bomber attempting to target Vice President Dick Cheney on a stopover at Bagram AB, Afghanistan, detonated his bomb on Feb. 27 outside Bagram’s outer-most entry gate, killing a US service member, a coalition member, a US government...

In remarks Feb. 26 before to the governors attending the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, President Bush asked for their help to ensure Congress keeps the 2008 budget “intact” and avoids the “temptation to take a little bit from...

The Air Force has awarded the Bronze Star medal to Maj. Mark Staal, a psychologist with the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., for his work in Iraq in setting up a classified special mission unit. Part...

Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, JCS Chairman, says that the issue of different deployed tour lengths “drives him nuts.” Visiting with airmen, sailors, soldiers, and marines in Alaska, Pace said that he has “spent a lot of time trying to...

Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Duncan McNabb stopped by McChord AFB, Wash., to check on the progress being made to ready the base to receive more than 100 national and international mobility teams that will participate in Rodeo in July....

The Air Force has alerted its subordinate units to begin implementing the rejuvenated Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program within roughly four weeks, according to a Feb. 27 news release. The official word, in the form of an implementation message, went to...

Officials at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., have installed a fast-rising secondary door on the launch facility trainer, reports TSgt. Daniel Cox. The addition makes the Wyoming facility the second missile base to receive the $417 million upgrade, which replaces 1960s-era...

DOD plans to reform its disabilities evaluation system, currently managed separately by each service. Between the high demands on the system because of the war terror and service members’ complaints about the system, the Pentagon decided it was time for...

President Bush on Feb. 26 formally nominated Texan S. Ward Casscells to replace William Winkenwerder as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. Casscells, with degrees from Harvard and Yale, has served as Chief of Cardiology at the University of...

An Air Force-industry team has succeeded in producing a stronger, lighter, low-cost payload fairing—the protective cover that shelters satellites at the top of an expendable launch vehicle and that gives the ELV an aerodynamic shape. Air Force Research Lab’s Space...

Feb. 25, 2007 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 15 6 21 CAS/Armed Recon 48 34 82 Airlift 155 155 Air refueling 37 37 Total 63 40 192 295 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance