Conaton Confirmed for Pentagon’s Top Personnel Post

The Senate has approved the nomination of Erin Conaton, Air Force undersecretary since March 2010, to be the new undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. The Senate confirmed her for the post on May 24, some four months after...

Addressing a Nuclear Priority

The Air Force has made “significant strides” in assessing and modernizing the nation’s nuclear command, control, and communications network, stated Maj. Gen. William Chambers, who oversees nuclear matters on the Air Staff. “We have established a baseline NC3 architecture, identified...

Weapons School Conducts Forced-Entry Mobility Drill

The Air Force Weapons School conducted its twice-yearly Mobility Forces Exercise, or MAFEX, at Nellis AFB, Nev., and the Nevada Test and Training Range. Nearly 70 aircraft, mostly C-17s and C-130s, participated in the mass air mobility drill on May...

Oklahoma City Breaks 100-day Barrier for Overhauling a KC-135

Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center technicians completed programmed depot maintenance on a KC-135 tanker in 99 flow days, the first time they have broken the 100-day barrier, said officials at Tinker AFB, Okla., where the depot is located. They returned...

B-52s Take Part in Max Thunder

Two B-52s from Andersen AFB, Guam, flew to Gwangju AB, South Korea, earlier this month to participate in Max Thunder 12-1, a combined biannual combat training exercise involving US and South Korean air assets. This marked the first time that...

Afghan Airmen Lead First Kabul Patrol

In another sign of the maturation of Afghan airmen under the tutelage of US air advisors, some 20 Afghan security forces airmen led their first quick reaction force patrol outside the gates of Kabul International Airport, announced Air Forces Central...

Italian Reapers May Get Weapons

The Obama Administration would like to sell Italy weapons for its fleet of MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, according to press reports. The White House sent a confidential “pre-notification” to lawmakers in April detailing a plan to sell weapons kits...

Major Space Contract Moves to Wing-level Oversight

Air Force Space Command has transitioned its wide-reaching contract for space and missile capabilities from its headquarters level to the 21st Space Wing. The wing’s program management division now oversees the prime contractors for this important work, which includes professional...

C-130Es Eyed for Bangladesh

The Pentagon notified Congress of a possible $180 million foreign military sale of four regenerated C-130E transports and associated parts, equipment, and training to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has requested the sale of the four US Air Force baseline C-130Es,...