Daily Report

March 17, 2016

Huey Replacement Decision Coming Soon

A decision on how to replace the Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey helicopters that protect ICBM fields is “a couple of weeks away,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. “I would expect...

TR-X Goes Black

Lockheed Martin will formally pitch the Air Force a program to replace the U-2 and Global Hawk in the coming months, Scott Winstead, the company’s strategic business manager, told reporters Tuesday. The aircraft will have low-observable, or stealth features, so...

No Significant Russian Withdrawal, Yet

Even though Russian President Vladimir Putin announced earlier this week plans to withdraw forces from Syria, the US-led coalition has only seen a “small handful” of Russian aircraft depart and just some support troops head home, the coalition’s spokesman said....

Webb Tapped to Lead AFSOC

President Obama has nominated Lt. Gen. Marshall Webb for assignment as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., according to a March 16 announcement. Webb currently serves as NATO Special Operations Headquarters commander in Mons, Belgium....

The RPA Shortfall

The lack of capacity and under manning issues in the remotely piloted aircraft enterprise did not develop because of cultural issues between manned and unmanned aircraft, but instead is the result of a dramatic increase in the operational demand without...

Everybody Loves ISR

ISR is the “No. 1 desire of the combatant commanders,” and the Air Force is adding some additional MQ-9s to meet that need while also working to alleviate stress on operators, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told the House...

No Criminal Charges for Doctors Without Borders Strike

The Defense Department has disciplined more than 12 military personnel for the October airstrikes on a Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, though no criminal charges are included, reported The Associated Press. Air Force and other military personnel involved...

Bringing Electronic Health Records Online

The Air Force is preparing to implement the new electronic health record, which will be a “huge benefit” to patients and give providers better access to data, Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Mark Ediger said Tuesday. The first site...