Daily Report

June 13, 2013

Welcome to the Hollow Force

The term “hollow force” now describes the Air Force, given that more than a dozen combat units are grounded, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said in an interview Tuesday. “I think we’re there, now,” Welsh said. “Anytime you’ve got...

Carlisle Unveils New Pacific Plan

Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Hawk Carlisle unveiled a new strategic plan aimed at prioritizing operations in the Asia-Pacific region while also maintaining a focus on the current fiscal realities. The strategy is based on three core tenets: expand engagement,...

First SBIRS Satellite Declared Operational

Air Force Space Command declared the first Space Based Infrared Systems geosynchronous satellite fully operational on May 17, AFSPC spokeswoman 1st Lt. Connie Dillon told the Daily Report on June 12. The early warning satellite, known as GEO-1, launched from...

Regional Arms Race

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said a nuclear-armed Iran would not only destabilize the Middle East, but it could lead to a “regional arms race.” Speaking before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense panel on June 11, Dempsey emphasized that...

STRATCOM No. 1 Priority Unchanged

The mission of US Strategic Command to deter adversaries and assure US allies of its security commitments has remained both “clear” and “unchanged” for the longest time, said STRATCOM boss Gen. Robert Kehler during a June 12 Capitol Hill address....

302nd Airlift Wing to Fight Forest Fire

The US Forest Service has requested two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 aircraft from Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson AFB, Colo., to help fight the nearby Black Forest. “We are ready to support containment efforts...

STEMming the Technology Gap

The Defense Department has invested $150 million in 16 different programs aimed at recruiting a skilled workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics career fields, said Reginald Brothers, deputy assistant secretary for defense for research. Brothers said building a STEM-minded...

India Gets First C-17

The Indian Air Force flew its first C-17 to India this week, becoming the newest operator of the Boeing-built airlifter, announced the company. “We have looked forward to this day,” said Indian Air Vice Marshal SRK Nair, assistant chief of...