August 12, 2005 - Air Force Magazine

From “Manned” to “Unmanned”

The Pentagon’s new unmanned aircraft systems strategy paper states that its overarching goal is to provide a guide for “logical, systematic migration” of missions to unmanned systems—aircraft or other. To ensure the services go along, DOD has set out nine...

The Otis Notice

Massachusetts lawmakers are casting doubt on the Pentagon’s claimed savings from closing Otis Air National Guard Base. Their number comes up almost $500 million less positive. The new data provided to the BRAC commission by the Massachusetts ANG show that,...

More Great News From Pakistan

Pakistan test-fired its first cruise missile today, according to an Associated Press report found in the Los Angeles Times. Named Babur, the missile could pack either nuclear or conventional warheads and cruise 310 miles.

X-45 Graduation

Boeing said Thursday two X-45A Joint Unmanned Combat Air System unmanned aircraft “responded brilliantly” when pushed to their limits in a combat exercise flown out of Edwards AFB, Calif. The test required the duo autonomously to determine the best route...

Should ANG Be Worried?

The Air National Guard fell 13 percent short of its monthly recruiting goal for July, leaving it about 17 percent behind for the fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30. The active duty Air Force and Air Force Reserve Command...

Don’t Remember the Alamo

The Pentagon wants to hunker down with counterparts in Mexico to exercise homeland defense scenarios that could involve terrorist attacks near the border, reports Jason Sherman in Inside the Pentagon. (Requires subscription.)

The Tower’s Last Hour

A 179-foot mobile service tower at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., came crashing down on Aug. 6, helped along by explosives. The deliberate blast reduced to rubble a former key component of the country’s space programs. The structure was used to...

Vets Bill—$200 Million Over Five Years

The Congressional Budget Office says the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2005—affecting servicemember’s group life insurance and housing programs, among others—will cost $95 million next year and some $200 million in the 2006-10 period. Read about the measure here.

Atta Boy, 9/11 Commission

The 9/11 commission was, in fact, informed about the pre-9/11 discovery of lead hijacker Mohammed Atta by a secret military team. According to the New York Times, the commission’s staff was told by a “uniformed military officer” that the final...

Flash—Iraqis Dislike Being Murdered

That is the word from USAF Gen. Richard Meyers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told reporters earlier this week that the Pentagon had completed a poll of Iraqis to gauge the mood toward insurgents. A DOD press...

Just Practicing

A Russian news agency reported that the Russian Strategic Missile Force will practice 10 combat launches in both 2005 and 2006.

Sour Thune

South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune claims the Air Force misled the BRAC commission about a federal lawsuit affecting the B-1Bs that fly out of Dyess AFB, Tex. Residents near Dyess filed suit in 2000 over noise along training routes....

Chilton Takes 8th AF

Lt. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton assumed command of 8th Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, La., on Aug. 10. He replaced Gen. (sel.) Bruce Carlson, who now commands Air Force Materiel Command.

Army’s new UAV… er, UAS

The Army has selected the General Atomics Predator unmanned aircraft variant known as the Warrior for its Extended Range Multi-Purpose UAV Program. The Warrior is designed for long-range operation, and both unmanned surveillance and attack capabilities—along with double the weapons...