Daily Report

Oct. 6, 2015

Russian Fighters Intercepted Over Turkey

Russian fighters operating in Syria willfully violated Turkish-NATO airspace in two separate incidents over the weekend, NATO officials announced after a high level meeting to discuss the issue. Su-30 fighter and Su-24 strike aircraft “entered Turkish airspace despite Turkish authorities’...

Carter: Pacific Trade Deal Benefits US Military

The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal reached Oct. 5 strengthens the military’s pivot to the Asia-Pacific and reinforces the “foundation of a vibrant economy” the Pentagon relies on, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a statement. The deal, reached between the...

Afghans Asked For Airstrike

The airstrike that hit a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing 22 people, was in response to a request for air support from Afghan forces on the ground, the top US commander in Afghanistan told reporters Monday at...

Encouraging Competition in Space

The Air Force Space & Missile Systems Center is working with SpaceX and United Launch Alliance to make sure both can bid on the first competitive national security space launch. Claire Leon, director of the SMC’s launch enterprise directorate, told...

USAF’s Largest Contingency Response Exercise

Airmen from Travis AFB, Calif., wrapped up the largest self-contained contingency response exercise in service history on Sept. 19. The 11-day exercise, called Cerberus Strike, was hosted by airmen from the 821st Contingency Response Group at Travis and focused on...

Niagara Airmen Fly First Solo MQ-9 CAP

The New York Air National Guard’s 107th Airlift Wing flew its first unassisted MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft combat air patrol in support of overseas operations last month, officials announced on Oct. 3. Unit RPA pilots and sensor operators flew...

Northrop Delivers First Fuselage for Japanese-Made F-35

Northrop Grumman delivered the first fuselage for the first F-35 strike fighter to be assembled in Japan. On Oct. 2, the company unveiled the fuselage at its Palmdale, Calif., facility. The fuselage will be a part of the first Japanese-made...

Space Mission Force: The Next Frontier

The transition to the “space mission force” has begun. The 50th Space Wing this month will begin phasing in a new construct in which operators spend six months focused specifically on the mission, then have six months to reconstitute and...

Scalable Laser Weapon Enters Production

Lockheed Martin is launching production of a modular, high-energy laser weapon that can be scaled up or down to arm a variety of air, land, and sea-based platforms, the company announced. Air Force Special Operations Command plans to arm the...