AFRC Wants Noise-reducing Earpieces: 
Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, AFRC commander, is out to purchase as many Attenuating Custom Communications Earpiece System (ACCES) devices as he can to spread them around the command. The Air Force Research Lab-designed earpieces are “phenomenal,” says Bradley, who flew with a pair during F-16 sorties earlier this month. The devices not only reduce noise, but also enable clearer cockpit radio communication. He thinks all aircrews and maintainers should get the ear plugs, primarily because they will help reduce hearing loss. How to pay for them? Bradley has instructed his command to use 2006 fallout funds, failing that he encourages individual unit commanders to use unit funds.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.