Despite Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ announcement earlier this month that 187 F-22s is a sufficient inventory for the Air Force—and his claim that the service did not make a case for more—Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said yesterday that...

Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz to be commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, the new nuclear-centric major command that the Air Force is standing up to oversee its nuclear-capable bombers and ICBMs....

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday called the F-22 “in effect, a niche, silver-bullet solution required for a limited number of scenarios.” Speaking to an audience at Air University on the grounds of Maxwell AFB, Ala., Gates acknowledged that “the...

Top Air Force generals met earlier this week to discuss the decision to end production of the F-22 at 187 aircraft, and their reaction was strong. Appraisals of the response range from “surprise and concern” to “shock and dismay,” senior...

Despite the turnover in leadership last year, the Air Force remains committed to pursuing its alternative fuel-certification program and is expanding its research efforts in the arena of alternative energy, Kevin Billings, USAF’s acting point man for these efforts, told...

More than 70 airmen and approximately six F-16s from the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Ariz., are in the Philippines through the end of the month to take part in Exercise Balikatan '09. The bilateral training event kicked off yesterday in Luzon province with members of the armed forces of the Philippines. Balikatan ‘09 marks the inaugural participation of F-16s, and the first time in 16 years that USAF fighters are operating out of the Philippines. "We are extremely proud to participate in this exercise," said Brig. Gen. Kurt Neubauer, 56th FW commander, in a Luke release. He added, "The United States and the Republic of the Philippines are close friends and have a long history of working together." Along with the 56th FW contingent, US Marine Corps and Navy personnel are involved in the exercise, which has three simultaneous legs: a cross training and field exercise; a scenario-based staff exercise to practice joint force management at the headquarters level; and humanitarian and civic assistance activities.

Air Force Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner says he is making a push to attract new members to the Reserve who have no prior Air Force experience as part of his efforts to keep recruiting numbers strong for his...

About 10,000 pages of previously classified records on Air America, the CIA-run covert air force that gained notoriety during the Vietnam War, have joined the aviation collection at the library of the University of Texas at Dallas. The Associated Press...

Tomorrow, the first Air Force Week of 2009 kicks off in Hampton Roads, Va., near Langley Air Force Base. It runs through April 26th. Air Force Weeks began in 2006 to celebrate the service and its people, get the word...

April 7 was a stinging day—literally—for some members of the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport. To comply with a new Air Force-wide directive that went into effect in February, they had to endure being...

Air Sorties in War on Terrorism, Southwest AsiaApril 14, 2009 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 31 5 36 4,035 CAS/Armed Recon 26 53 79 10,227 Airlift 120 120 13,845 Air refueling 33 33 4,630 Total 268 32,737...