Defense Secretary Robert Gates has acknowledged that China’s efforts to develop a stealth combat aircraft may be more advanced than the United States previously thought. “We knew they were working on a stealth aircraft. I think that what we’ve seen...

President Obama has approved the plan put forth by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to disestablish US Joint Forces Command, which is headquartered in Norfolk, Va. “I hereby accept the recommendations,” stated Obama in a White House memorandum dated Jan. 6....

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced last week that the command billet for US Air Forces in Europe will be for a three-star general in the future and no longer a four-star post. The same applies for the heads of the...

An RQ-4 Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft last week arrived at Andersen AFB, Guam, its new home. Touching down on Jan. 7, it is the second of three Global Hawks that Andersen’s 36th Wing is bedding down to enhance US...

The Air Force Expeditionary Center at JB McGuire, N.J., last week assumed responsibility for five Air Mobility Command organizations that formerly reported to 18th Air Force at Scott AFB, Ill. The center now oversees: the 87th Air Base Wing at...

The Air Force has removed the rated requirement for air liaison officers, thereby allowing company grade officers, accession candidates, or enlisted airmen the chance to serve in this role. ALOs are the primary airpower advisers to Army ground commanders. “More...

At the end of 2010, the Air Force had 330,057 active duty airmen and 142,153 civilian employees, according to the Air Force Personnel Center’s newest demographics report. (That’s 419 more airmen and 3,352 more civilians than listed in the previous...

Officials with the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colo., last week completed an upgrade of the Global Positioning System ground control element. The Architecture Evolution Plan 5.6 software upload is part of the Air Force’s broader efforts to...

Four firefighters with the Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing in Springfield last week responded to a civilian airplane crash at the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, the wing's home location. "They responded under the minimum time required by the Federal Aviation Administration and did a terrific job extinguishing the fire, securing the aircraft, and providing aid to those on board," said Lt. Col. Chuck Coderko, the wing's fire marshal. The aircraft came to rest off the runaway in the grass during the Jan. 6 incident. Two of the six persons on board were injured. When the 183rd FW relinquished its F-16 flying mission in 2008, it retained nearly 20 full-time firefighter positions. These Air Guardsmen serve as first responders at the airport and support local fire departments. That said, last we heard, the wing is scheduled to lose the firefighters in September. (Springfield report)

Pratt & Whitney announced last week that the Defense Department has approved the F135 engine configuration that is designed for the F-35B, the short takeoff and vertical landing version of the F-35 strike fighter, for initial service release. This means...