Flying on One Engine, For Now

The Defense Department on Thursday took another step in its quest to kill the F136 engine by issuing a 90-day stop-work order to developers General Electric and Rolls Royce. The order goes into effect once the engine program’s funding runs...

Coalition Operations over Libya

The United States had flown 449 sorties, including 222 strike sorties, as of mid Thursday US East Coast time, since the air campaign began over Libya last weekend, Vice Adm. William Gortney, Joint Staff director, told reporters during a Pentagon...

Qaddafi Forces Seek Refuge in Cities

Most of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi’s ground forces have been pushed into the cities of Ajdabiyah, Misurata, and Zintan, along the country’s northern coast, said Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, Joint Staff director, Thursday during an update for reporters on Operation...

Airmen Continue Supporting Japan

Airmen have flown more than 225 missions and transported more than 4.2 million pounds of cargo and 2,800 passengers in support of the US military’s Japan disaster assistance, according to the Air Force’s latest figures. More than 300 airmen and...

Another Milstar Satellite Exceeds Life Expectancy

The first Milstar II military communications satellite has exceeded its expected 10-year design life, announced prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Milstar II Flight-4 has been operating in space since its launch on Feb. 27, 2001. It was the first of three...

First Iraq FAC Strike

Iraqi forward air controllers directed Iraqi air force strike aircraft during a drill this week that saw the integrated team hit a simulated ground target, for the first time, without US air advisor participation. The air advisors stood aside, allowing...

Sensible Heritage

Planners at RAF Mildenhall, England, are keen to preserve the base’s 1930s-era architecture and historical heritage, while creating modern usable interior spaces. Last year, the base spent close to $20 million to update several buildings. “We restore the exterior of...

Hypersonic-U

Faculty and student researchers at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville have unveiled a prototype Mach 5 supersonic ramjet engine that they expect to test in flight next year from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s eastern shore. A two-stage...