Slight Delay in KC-X Approval
The Defense Acquisition Board now will not take up the KC-X tanker replacement contract award until Feb. 25 or 26, instead of the earlier date of Feb. 13. There was no word on what has prompted the delay, but Air...
The Airlift Question
One of the big questions percolating in Air Force circles remains the strategic airlift capability that will be needed to support the increase in size of the Army and Marine Corps. The issue became even murkier this week with the...
It’s Their Call
Like the C-17 (see above), the DOD has opted to let the next Administration decide the fate of F-22 production. USAF’s Fiscal 2009 budget proposal includes no money to procure additional Raptors beyond the 183-aircraft program of record or to...
Weaponizing
The Air Force would like to spend about $5.6 billion to buy roughly 7,700 missiles and bombs in Fiscal 2009, according to USAF budget officials and documents. This includes 275 AIM-9X Sidewinders and 281 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, 260 Joint...
Letting Go
The Air Force would like to retire 182 aircraft in Fiscal 2009, according to the service’s newly released budget proposal for next fiscal year. This includes 24 C-130E/H transports, one E-4B National Airborne Operations Center platform, 17 F-15 A-D and...
Halfway There
The Air Force has more than half its F-15 instructor force at Tyndall AFB, Fla., back up to speed after the extended grounding of the F-15 fleet. Commanders of the 2nd Fighter Squadron and 95th FS expect to have all...
“Most Chilling Call”
Col. William Wignall, the head of the accident investigation board reviewing the mid-air break up of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C on Nov. 2, 2007, believes the message radioed by the training sortie’s flight lead “was probably the most...
Can’t Get Enough:
According to Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, speaking to airmen during a visit last week at Balad AB, Iraq, the Army really likes having airmen serving as in-lieu-of soldiers because the airmen bring “such innovation and imagination” to the mission....
The Top Fighter Duty Tech:
SSgt. Ryan Fausey with the 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron at Shaw AFB, S.C., is the Air Force’s Fighter Duty Technician of the Year for 2007. The job of an FDT is to support Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and aircrews...
Testing X-51 Antennas:
Boeing is working with the 412th Test Wing Hypersonic Flight Test Team at Edwards AFB, Calif., to test the antennas that will provide performance, air, engine, and other test data when the company’s X-51 Scramjet-Waverider begins flight tests. Boeing officials...
Air Sorties in the Global War on Terrorism
Feb. 4, 2008 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 22 10 32 884 CAS/Armed Recon 63 16 79 2,826 Airlift 119 119 4,181 Air refueling 45 45 1,341 Total 85 26 164 275 9,232 OIF=Operation Iraqi Freedom OEF=Operation...