Despite press reports that the newly announced US Aerospace-Antonov team has asked the Pentagon for a 60-day extension to file its proposal for the Air Force’s KC-X tanker, there is no indication that the Defense Department is ready to extend...

Maj. Gen. Donald Alston assumed command of 20th Air Force during a July 1 ceremony at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. The numbered air force oversees the nation’s Minuteman III ICBMs that are dispersed in silos over parts of Montana, North...

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is concerned that Defense Department officials have "grown lax" in how they engage members of the media (Can you say, "Rolling Stone-Gen. Stanley McChrystal saga?"). Although McChrystal and his staffers spoke to Rolling Stone through official public affairs channels, Gates has moved to strengthen the Pentagon's oversight mechanisms for the release of information and seems to be primarily concerned about unauthorized leakers. "We have far too many people talking to the media outside of channels, sometimes providing information which is simply incorrect, out of proper context, unauthorized, or uninformed," Gates in a July 2 memorandum to his senior defense leadership. Such loose lips, he warns, risk the release of classified information.

: Robert Gates also wants to keep a lid on unauthorized release of unclassified information that could jeopardize the sanctity of the Pentagon’s internal decision making processes, according to the Secdef’s memo (See “Central Planning,” above). Therefore, “all component leaders”...

Here’s Something That Should Be Kept Secret: Air Combat Command officials at Langley AFB, Va., announced Tuesday the successful testing of new technology that prevents unauthorized individuals from downloading and viewing overhead video surveillance footage from remotely piloted aircraft. Testing...

Lockheed Martin announced Wednesday that AF-3, the third F-35A test aircraft in the Air Force’s conventional takeoff configuration, flew for the first time on July 6. Lockheed Martin F-35 test pilot Bill Gigliotti took it on a 42-minute flight around...

Members of the Texas Air National Guard’s 204th Security Forces Squadron now operate the “Desert Defender” training course at Fort Bliss, Tex., for security forces airmen preparing to deploy. Over the past few years the schoolhouse has grown from just...

Boeing is proposing three kinds of rotorcraft to the Navy to be the VXX, the next Presidential helicopter, says Marco Di Gabrielle, Boeing’s director of international helicopter business development. Speaking Wednesday at a media briefing in Arlington, Va., Di Gabrielle...

The Afghan National Army Air Force’s 373rd Fixed Wing Squadron, a C-27 transport unit, doubled its pool of pilots on July 3 with the addition of three new graduates of initial pilot qualification training. USAF Col. Kenneth Madura, commander of...

The Air Force’s new improved physical training uniform will go on sale starting in July at select military clothing sales store, officials in the Air Force Uniform Office at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, announced Wednesday. The IPTU consists of a running...

Air Sorties in Southwest Asia, July 1, 2010 Sortie Type OIF OEF OIF/OEF Total YTD ISR 22 58 80 12,115 CAS/Armed Recon 22 87 109 17,211 Airlift 195 195 31,255 Air refueling 57 57 8,114 Rescue 44 44 3,566 Total...