The Senate Appropriations Committee proposes adding nearly $15 billion to the Administration’s request for emergency supplemental funding for the war on terror and hurricane recovery. The measure includes almost $228 million to go toward purchase of seven additional C-17 airlifters...

The Air Force’s avionics modernization program for its C-130 Hercules fleet has faced technical difficulties and rising costs. However, according to Rebecca Christie of Dow Jones Newswires, the service blames the problems on “more ambitious requirements” and does not fault...

Two senior officers of the 80th Flying Wing at Sheppard AFB, Tex., shared the honor of flying the final mission of the AT-38 Talon on April 14. The upgraded T-38C now will serve as the primary introduction to fighter fundamentals...

The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Anthony Cordesman has penned a new analysis of the American experience in Iraq, titled “American Strategic, Tactical, and Other Mistakes in Iraq: A Litany of Errors.” Examining planning before, during, and after the...

Pacific Air Forces has consolidated its weather operations, moving the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota AB, Japan, to merge with the 17th OWS at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Officials say the new arrangement improves weather support in the Pacific region,...

The US has so far taken the quiet tack of “outsourcing” diplomacy with Iran to Europe and the United Nations—a process that needs to be stopped, states the Wall Street Journal editorial board. WSJ does not advocate giving up on...

A federal judge says the Air Force has not been responsive in its handling of Freedom of Information Act requests. US District Judge Rosemary Collyer issued a memorandum opinion on April 19, finding for the National Security Archive, a Washington-based non-profit library of unclassified government information, which filed suit last year, claiming a “pattern” of FOIA violation that extends over numerous requests—some filed 18 years ago. Collyer notes that the Air Force admits failing to “complete processing” in a “timely manner” for 33 of the NSA’s 82 requests. She also acknowledges that the service argues “it is exercising due diligence now.” The judge says, though, that there is “reason for concern” because there is no one single person who oversees FOIA compliance and the responsibility to answer requests “is spread as wide as the Air Force is spread.” She would not order the Air Force to turn over classified documents without proper review, but she sided with the archive in its request to set a timetable.

Civilians and airmen at the Air Force Officer Accession and Training Schools are taking part in a process-improvement exercise, dubbed Operation Iron Sharpener. Officials say that the entire workforce has formed teams to identify ways to improve the school’s operations...

More than 1,500 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Command airmen and 84 USAF aircraft are participating in Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, which includes Army and Navy forces. Col. John Dobbins, the Air Expeditionary Wing commander for the...

An HH-60 helicopter crew assigned to Det. 1, 33rd Rescue Squadron, at Osan AB, South Korea, flew a 74-year-old Korean woman suffering a heart attack on April 19 from Teong Pyeong Do Island to a South Korean naval base. Officials...

US Pacific Command says that US forces will participate in the Cobra Gold multi-national exercise, scheduled to be held in Thailand from May 15-26. The exercise is a regular event hosted by Thailand, with this year’s installment designed to promote...

Air Force Space Command plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Midcourse Space Experiment satellite on April 24 at Peterson AFB, Colo., and locations around the country that have participated in the delivery and operation of the MSX satellite—the...

Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne presented an Exceptional Civilian Service Award to civilian Air Force photographer Ron Hall, during a ceremony at the Pentagon on April 17. Hall has photographed Air Force leaders and events for 50 years, covering 18...

April 20, 2006 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total ISR 12 5 17 CAS/Armed Recon 40 22 62 Airlift 195 195 Air refueling 32 32 Total 52 27 227 306 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation Enduring Freedom ISR=Intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance