Testers Push Vipers to the Northern Edge

Test pilots are testing the F-16’s next generation software package in a realistic combat environment during Exercise Northern Edge at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, officials announced. F-16s from Eglin AFB, Fla., will fly with the fighter’s developmental M7 Operational Flight Program...

Roll and Burn

An MQ-1B remotely piloted aircraft crashed at Creech AFB, Nev., last June because of the failure of a flight control module that fully deflected the RPA’s right aileron, according to Air Combat Command’s abbreviated investigation. “This un-commanded lowering of the...

Unclear Picture on Afghan Forces Persists

By Marc V. Schanz
The special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction has never done a “full blown assessment” on the health, capabilities, and disposition of the Afghan National Security Forces, SIGAR John Sopko told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Though SIGAR did go...

Standards, Accountability at Issue in Afghanistan

By Marc V. Schanz
A lack of accountability and transparency in training, advising, and assisting programs in Afghanistan has led to persistent shortcomings in many areas where the US has spent a great deal of time and money training Afghan forces, the special inspector...

Fifth Air Force Command Change

Lt. Gen. John Dolan assumed command of US Forces Japan and 5th Air Force during a June 5 change of command ceremony at Yokota AB, Japan, according to a Pacific Air Forces release. Dolan, who previously served as US Pacific...

Services Agree on Need for Personnel Policy Changes

By Otto Kreisher
Armed services manpower managers agree the military’s personnel system needs to change, but the enthusiasm for some proposed changes apparently varies, based on comments from several defense officials during a Defense One forum on Tuesday. Vice Adm. William Moran, the...

Mishap Grounds Russian Bears

Russia’s Tu-95 strategic bomber fleet is temporarily grounded pending the investigation of a fatal mishap during a June 8 training sortie, reported the state-run TASS Russian News Agency. “The Tu-95 ran over the runway during acceleration,”according to a Russian defense...