The Air Force is going to change the way it deploys airmen under its Air and Space Expeditionary Force construct. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz recently approved the new system, known as AEF Next, in an effort to improve...

President Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced plans for the Air Force and Marine Corps to collaborate more closely with the Australian Defence Force during a joint news conference in Canberra Wednesday. Beginning in mid-2012, US military aircraft...

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta defended the President’s decision to withdraw US troops from Iraq by year’s end in the face of criticism from a senior GOP lawmaker. During his opening remarks at Tuesday’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sen. John...

The Air Force will continue to offer voluntary separation and retirement programs for enlisted airmen in Fiscal 2012 as part of its continuing force-shaping measures. The Air Force’s end strength will continue to surpass congressionally mandated levels this fiscal year,...

The Air Force has updated its two capstone doctrine documents. The new version of Air Force Doctrine Document 1, Air Force Basic Doctrine, Organization, and Command, reflects the fact that "much has transpired in the world since the previous edition" in November 2003, writes Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in the document's foreword. Among its revisions, the new document, dated Oct. 14, thoroughly discusses the concepts of airpower and airmindedness and adds discussions absent in previous versions on topics like cyberspace operations and nuclear support integration, said service officials. It also includes expanded discussions of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve integration, especially in a homeland context. The new version of AFDD 1-1, Leadership and Force Development, issued on Nov. 8, supplants the previous iteration from February 2006. Among its changes is an expanded definition of "airman." It states: "When addressing a larger audience within the service, the term airman now includes all uniformed members of the Air Force . . . as well as Department of the Air Force civilians." (SAF/PA release) (See also Donley-Schwartz-Roy memorandum.) (AFDD 1 full text and AFDD 1-1 full text; caution, large-sized files.)

Six former heads of the Air Force Reserve gathered with current Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner earlier this month at March ARB, Calif., to honor retired Maj. Gen. Sloan Gill who died in August at age 81. Sloan was...

More than 150 airmen showcased static displays of a C-17, C-130J, F-15C, and F-16 and interacted with visitors at this week’s Dubai Air Show that concludes Thursday in the United Arab Emirates. The Air Force contingent was part of the...

Raytheon’s Small Diameter Bomb II warhead exceeded requirements during a series of recent tests, announced the company Wednesday. “SDB II is affordable because we designed it to be low cost, productive, and meet government specifications. Exceeding those requirements at no...

The Air Force Culture and Language Center, part of Air University’s Spaatz Center at Maxwell AFB, Ala., recently launched a new public website that provides information on the service’s efforts to increase cross-cultural competence. “The site is an incredible resource...