DOD Names Victims of Deadly Helo Crash

The Defense Department on Aug. 11 announced the names of the three airmen and other US military personnel who were killed Aug. 6 when enemy forces shot down an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. The airmen were...

Deficit Cutting Super Committee Taking Shape

Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was appointed to be the Republican co-chair of the deficit-cutting super committee, while Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus, will be the Democratic co-chair....

Intelligence Center to Watch Civil Air Traffic

The Defense Department has directed the Air Force to organize a Civil Aviation Intelligence Analysis Center to coordinate interagency monitoring of civil air traffic. Under the plan, USAF will “coordinate and synchronize DOD support for the civil aviation intelligence mission,”...

HH-60 Recap IOC Slips

The Air Force’s new combat rescue helicopters may be delayed up to three years, according to an updated request for information released earlier this week. The initial RFI, filed last October, called for battle-ready helos by the end of 2015;...

So Far, So Good

DARPA’s Falcon Hypersonic Test Vehicle-2 launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., aboard a Minotaur IV rocket early morning on Aug. 11. It was second launch attempt for HTV-2, the first failed to complete its 30-minute glide over the Pacific Ocean due...

Fraser Invited into Order of the Sword

Air Combat Command boss Gen. William Fraser will be inducted into the Order of the Sword, the highest honor the enlisted force can bestow upon a leader, during a Sept. 12 ceremony in Hampton, Va. SrA. Iris Cruz, the most...

Test Facility Renovations Focused on RPAs

The Air Force is upgrading and renovating the Installed Engine Thrust Test facilities at Edwards AFB, Calif., to accommodate smaller remotely piloted aircraft in the inventory. “We’re installing new computers, developing new software and reconfiguring the load cells” at Edward’s...

Airmen Clean Up Kadena After Typhoon

More than 125 airmen from the 18th Civil Engineer Group at Kadena AB, Japan, worked to clean up the base after a slow-moving typhoon ripped through the island last week. The tropical storm hit Okinawa on Aug. 4 and lasted...

New Wing Headquarters in San Antonio

The 502nd Air Base Wing inaugurated a new 25,000 square foot headquarters last week at Fort Sam Houston, part of JB San Antonio in Texas. The $9.7 million two story headquarters was completed in just over a year and boasts...