The Pentagon has identified the airman in southern Afghanistan April 4 who died from wounds caused by an improvised explosive device as SSgt. Phillip A. Myers, 30, of Hopewell, Va. Air Forces Central announced April 4 that he had been...

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced sweeping cuts in defense programs today, the budget axe falling particularly hard on Air Force systems.

n F-22: End the buy at 187 aircraft.

n F-35: Accelerate the buy in 2010 to increase the number of test assets available; in the end there will be about a dozen fewer aircraft.

n Air Force Fighters: Retire 250 fighters in Fiscal 2010 (Air Force request).

n Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter: Terminated.

n New Tanker: The KC-X program will go forward; request for bids expected this summer; Gates is still adamant on not having a split buy.

n Transformational Satellite: Terminated; instead will purchase two additional Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellites.

n Airborne Laser: Terminate the second aircraft, relegate the existing asset to research only.

n C-17: End the line; the 205 now in service or on order are sufficient.

n 2018 Bomber: Postponed.

The Oklahoma Congressional delegation announced April 2 in Washington that the Air Force will activate a classic associate Reserve squadron at Altus Air Force Base to work with the 97th Air Mobility Wing in providing C-17 and KC-135 training. In...

According to an April 2 Air Force Reserve Command release, AFRC expects to stand up its new classic associate squadron at Altus AFB, Okla., in 2010. Air Force and Oklahoma lawmakers announced creation of the unit April 2 (See above)....

The two Senators from Alabama reportedly have locked up the confirmation of Ashton Carter, President Obama’s pick to lead Pentagon acquisition, amid new concerns over the KC-X tanker replacement program. During his March 26 confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed...

The hold up over the confirmation of Ashton Carter to become Pentagon acquisition czar (see above) is just one of the new issues flaring over the KC-X tanker program. According to defense analyst Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute, the...

New York lawmakers have asked the Air Force to provide an update on the status of the C-17 airlifters promised for the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing. Rep. John Hall (D) and Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D) sent...

Gen. Robert Kehler, Air Force Space Command boss, said last week that his confidence in the scheduled delivery date of the first space based infrared system satellite for launch is “medium to high,” despite some work being done on lingering software issues with the spacecraft. Dubbed GEO-1, this SBIRS satellite is slated to go up into space in Fiscal 2010. Software issues have plagued GEO-1’s completion. But on the positive side, Kehler told reporters during a March 31 meeting at the Space Foundation symposium in Colorado that the performance of the first two SBIRS scanning sensors that operate on separate classified intelligence satellites in highly elliptical orbit has been very solid. He said this gives him a high level of assurance that the SBIRS GEO satellites will operate as advertised once on orbit. GEO-1 will carry the same type of scanning sensor, in addition to a staring sensor, that will give it the ability to discern missile launches and track those missiles in flight. It is one of as many as six SBIRS GEO satellites that the Air Force may procure. (Also read Kehler's speech)

Not wanting to speculate on Fiscal 2010 deliberations, Air Force Space Command chief Gen. Robert Kehler waved off most budget related questions during a March 31 meeting with reporters at last week’s Space Foundation symposium in Colorado. This included inquiries...

The Missouri Air National Guard’s 139th Airlift Wing at Rosecrans Memorial Airport received two newer C-130 Hercules tactical transports last week, bringing the unit’s total now to 10 aircraft, reports the St. Joseph News-Press. “These two additional C-130s will allow...

Contractors are completing finishing tasks at Kaiserslautern Military Community Center while movers bring in furniture and other furnishings to outfit the 350-room visiting quarters at the 844,000-square foot complex, according to an April 2 US Air Forces in Europe release....

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest AsiaApril 1-2, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 51 33 84 3,589 CAS/Armed Recon 56 136 192 9,103 Airlift 290 290 12,230 Air refueling 85 85 4,160 Total 651 29,082...