F-35 Passes Deployment Test

By John A. Tirpak
The commander of the first combat F-35A unit said Tuesday the jet did well at its “graduation” deployment test, and that he’ll be able to recommend declaring it ready for initial operational capability “very soon.” Col. David Lyons, commander of...

The Deployment Effect

Make no mistake: deployments can cause problems for those who are not deploying, said Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh in his exit interview with Air Force Magazine. Welsh will be retiring next month after 40 years of uniformed service,...

In a Perfect World

The Air Force has for years been deploying airmen in various-size groups. Officials often discuss the effect these deployments have on the deploying airmen, but the effect on those back at home stations is rarely been a topic of conversation....

Northrop to Work on B-21 in Florida

By Will Skowronski
The director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities office confirmed Tuesday Northrop Grumman will perform work on the B-21 bomber at its Melbourne, Fla., facility. The final assembly location of the B-21 has not been announced, but while speaking at...

The Real Deal

By Will Skowronski
The Air Force is facing a shortage of training tools that mimic potential adversaries’ enhanced capabilities, Air Combat Command’s vice chief, Maj. Gen. Jerry Harris, told lawmakers Saturday. The service’s “capacity to simulate or replicate these threats in appropriate numbers...