Daily Report

Nov. 20, 2014

Deep in the Heart of T-Xs

Although the Air Force has hinted it would only look at proven, off-the-shelf trainers for its upcoming T-X competition, a clean-sheet design hasn’t been ruled out, said Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, the Air Force’s military deputy for acquisition, on Wednesday....

New Tanker Schedule

Boeing made a progress report to top Air Force acquisition officials on the KC-46A tanker program last week, and there may be some schedule delays coming, said Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, military deputy in the Air Force’s acquisition shop, on...

JSTARS Recap Milestone

The Air Force is hoping to get approval in January or February to proceed with the next phase of replacing the E-8C JSTARS ground-surveillance airplane, said Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, the service’s top uniformed weapons buyer. “We expect to reach...

Nuclear Deterrence and Pacific Security Posture

The reforms to the nuclear enterprise unveiled by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel last week will “strengthen nuclear deterrence” in the Asia-Pacific region, which is essential to the US security posture there, said Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James. She appeared...

Generals on the Move

President Obama nominated Lt. Gen. Andrew Busch to become the next director of the Defense Logistics Agency in Fort Belvoir, Va., announced the Pentagon on Wednesday. If the Senate approves this nomination, Busch would replace Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek, who...

F-16 Training Starts at Holloman

The 54th Fighter Group has begun training new F-16 pilots at Holloman AFB, N.M., reports the Alamogordo News. The first five student pilots took to the skies for the first time in the F-16 on Nov. 13, followed by two...

Tactical Success More Evident Against ISIS

In his first public comments since returning from his recent visit to Iraq, Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Martin Dempsey said Iraqi military forces have been demonstrating “tactical success” against ISIS terrorists in recent days, and Kurdish forces in northern...

Afghan Light Attack Program Under the Microscope

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko said on Tuesday his office has opened an inquiry into the Air Force-managed A-29 Light Air Support program for the Afghan air force. Speaking with reporters in Washington, D.C., he said his...

Afghan C-130 Program Stabilized, Pending Requirements Review

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko sought information from the Defense Department last summer, when one of his office’s reports criticized the utilization rates of the Afghan air force’s small C-130H fleet and raised questions about its supportability...

Meet Roland Wright Air National Guard Base

The Utah Air National Guard christened its long-time operating location east of Salt Lake City Airport the Roland Wright Air National Guard Base in honor of the state’s first Air Guard chief of staff. The renaming ceremony took place on...