Daily Report

Feb. 16, 2016

Will AQ Shake-Up Affect LRS-B?

Richard Lombardi, the Air Force’s principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition and logistics, has been reassigned to a post outside the acquisition portfolio, the service announced late Thursday. Lombardi notified Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on Feb. 3 that...

Side Effects May Be Serious, And Include…

Because the Air Force has opted to slow the A-10 attack jet’s phased retirement, it will buy contractor logistics support for a number of other legacy platforms in order to shift some seasoned maintainers to the F-35 program. That could...

The Mechanics of It All

To fill the ranks of F-35 maintainers, the Air Force will draw 1,100 airmen from the A-10, F-16, and C-130 fleets, the service said in a news release Friday. The positions will be back-filled by contractor personnel. Lt. Gen. John...

More Training in Europe

The Air Force’s share of the increase in the military’s European Reassurance Initiative will focus on new rotations of aircraft through the continent and more exercises for aircrews, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Feb. 12 at an AFA-sponsored...

Sunset of the Predator

The Air Force intends—once again—to divest itself of the MQ-1 Predator and transition to an all-MQ-9 Reaper fleet of medium-altitude remotely piloted aircraft, Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and requirements, said Friday....

Arsenal of Technocracy

The Air Force is keeping mum on the “arsenal plane” concept teased by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter in a budget preview speech in early February. Carter said the concept, developed by the Strategic Capabilities Office, would rely on an “existing...

Funding New F-16 Radars

The Air Force’s Fiscal 2017 budget request calls for funding that was initially rejected by Congress in 2015 to replace radars on F-16s, starting with the jets tasked with protecting Washington, D.C. In March 2015, Air Forces Northern/1st Air Force...

Still Time For Debate on Nuclear Deterrent

The US nuclear deterrent will run aground in 2022, but there’s “still time” to have a national debate on whether the country needs to replace it on a one-for-one basis, the Air Force’s requirements and planning chief said Friday. Lt....

Duane Cassidy, 1933-2016

The first dual-hatted commander of US Transportation Command and Military Airlift Command, retired Gen. Duane Cassidy, died Feb. 8, the Air Force said. Cassidy was “a mobility pioneer” whose legacy will live on, said Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Carlton...