Daily Report

June 16, 2016

RPA Crisis on the Mend

There’s real progress in the Air Force’s battle against what has been a chronic and widening shortage of remotely piloted aircraft operators, outgoing Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh reported Wednesday. “The RPA get-well plan has been going as well...

Budgetman Won the GBSD Analysis

The Air Force considered but discarded a mobile version of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, because of the cost, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said Wednesday. When the GBSD—which will replace the Minuteman III ICBM—first came up for discussion,...

A Side Order of SLBMs

In making a pitch for a national debate on the future of deterrence, outgoing USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh questioned whether nuclear is the only element to consider. “What’s the future of strategic deterrence? Is it nuclear? Is...

Expanding Airpower in Afghanistan

New rules of engagement will allow the Air Force to be more “proactive” in striking targets in Afghanistan, outgoing Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said Wednesday. Previously, USAF jets were “restricted to essentially supporting US troops in contact or...

NATO to Increase Support for Afghanistan

NATO member countries have pledged to increase support to Afghanistan in 2017 and beyond, including placing troops in a “constellation” of sites around the country, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said. Speaking at the end of a ministerial meeting in...

Carter: NATO Must Do More in ISIS Fight

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, speaking in advance of the July summit in Warsaw, called on NATO to do more in the fight against ISIS, including approving another deployment of NATO E-3 AWACS and additional training forces inside Iraq. “I like...

A Fierce Fight For Fallujah

Iraqi forces, bolstered by heavy airstrikes from the US-led coalition, are facing intense fighting as they encircle and move to retake the ISIS-held city of Fallujah. Multiple Iraqi brigades are surrounding the city, which is being infiltrated by commandos and...

Iraqi Aircraft Join the Advance

Iraqi F-16s and attack helicopters have joined the fight for Fallujah, flying both deliberate strikes and close air support sorties to assist ground forces as they advance on the city, Army Col. Christopher Garver, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation...

Stamping Out Retaliation

The Senate approved legislation Tuesday that would make retaliation against service members who report criminal activity a unique offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to a release. The act, introduced by Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Joni...

Air Force Recovers IG Data

The Air Force has regained access to data associated with USAF Inspector General investigations, a service spokeswoman announced Wednesday. Last week, the service announced the data stored in the IG’s Automated Case Tracking System database were corrupted and lost. The...