X-37B Boosted into Space

An Air Force-industry team launched the Boeing-built X-37B orbital test vehicle, the first of a new unmanned, reusable space test platform, into space Thursday at 7:52 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., via a United Launch Alliance Atlas V...

Minotaur IV Lite Boosts Hypersonic Vehicle

After a two-day weather delay, an Air Force-industry team at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., launched April 22 at 4 p.m. the first Minotaur IV Lite expendable booster. The suborbital rocket, built by Orbital Sciences Corp., successfully launched its HTV-2 payload, according...

Sleepless Over People, Industrial Base

When asked what keeps him awake at night, Gen. Bob Kehler, Air Force Space Command boss, told the House Armed Services strategic forces panel Wednesday there are two things: recruiting and retaining “world-class” space and cyberspace professionals and long-term industrial...

Space Reports in the Making

Responding to lawmaker complaints at an April 21 House Armed Services strategic forces panel hearing that the interim space posture review supplied in March lacks a future vision, Gary Payton, USAF’s top space acquisition official, offered that the final report...

Budget, Not Strategy

By John A. Tirpak
The slew of reports on fighter force plans and options Congress received last week didn’t mollify Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (Md.), ranking Republican on the House Armed Services air and land forces subcommittee, who said at an April 22 hearing, “These...

Hard Look at Weather Requirements

Gen. Bob Kehler, head of Air Force Space Command, told the House Armed Services strategic panel April 22 that the national weather satellite community is taking “enough time to go back and look at the requirements” for a new weather...

F-35A to Begin Weapons Testing

Lockheed Martin said April 20 that the seventh F-35 flight test aircraft, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant dubbed AF-2, had that day flown for the first time and would be used to validate the CTOL weapons suite. Company...

Making Them Last

According to an April 21 release from ARINC, the company is now under contract to Rockwell Collins to perform part of the Block 45 work planned to help keep the geriatric KC-135 tanker fleet flying well while USAF tries to...

Make That 40

According to a report by the Deseret News, USAF maintainers deployed to Afghanistan from Hill AFB, Utah, were able to sustain an F-16 through not just 30 missions without a mechanical failure but through 40 so-called “code 1” sorties. The...

Alston for 20th AF

The Air Force announced April 23 it has tapped Maj. Gen. Donald Alston, headquarters point man for nuclear matters, to take command of 20th Air Force, replacing Maj. Gen. Roger Burg, who plans to retire. Burg has led 20th AF,...

Air Sorties from SWA 041810

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, April 18, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 28 44 72 6,612 CAS/Armed Recon 24 77 101 9,969 Airlift 188 188 18,325 Air refueling 44 44 4,566 Rescue 42 42 1,342 Total...