NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • DAF wins 2022 Vanguard Award

    The Vanguard Award recognizes the DoD Component that best exemplifies a commitment to small business industrial base competitiveness.

  • DAF releases annual acquisition report

    The Department of the Air Force released its Fiscal Year 2021 Acquisition Report, which offers transparency between the Department and taxpayers by showing how the Department balances program cost, schedule, and performance to meet warfighter needs and optimize taxpayers’ dollars.

  • Hunter swears in as Air Force acquisition lead

    Hunter, a former senior executive in the Department of Defense, was most recently a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies focused on emerging technologies, defense trade, the defense acquisition system and industrial policy.

  • ATAC provides recommendations for NAOC replacement

    ATAC Team 11, comprised of junior to mid-level civilian and military acquisition employees from across DAF, took up the challenge in August to provide recommendations for implementing digital acquisition methods for the Survivable Airborne Operations Center.

  • AFICC/KU turns innovations into solutions, processes with iHub

    The website encourages collaboration and increases shared knowledge between AFICC/KU, USAFE-AFAFRICA contracting squadrons and mission-focused business leaders, or MFBL, to spark innovations. Change agents can use the website as a filter for information to streamline processes or solve issues within

  • Around the Air Force: ABMS scale-up, C-130J base selections, and E-Sports

    This week’s look around the Air Force highlights the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office as they work to speed development of the Advanced Battle Management System, the Air Force selects four new C-130J locations, and the Air Force Services Center launches an E-Sports program aimed at inclusiveness,

  • DoD awards Hanscom AFB professionals

    The Honorable Ellen Lord, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, announced the winners of the 2020 Defense Acquisition Workforce Awards, which included members of the Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks, or C3I&N, and the Digital Directorate, both

  • New commander charts AFLCMC future course

    Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center commander has been busy getting up to speed on the latest activities in the center’s vast portfolio. With 28,000 personnel across nine major operating centers, AFLCMC executes a $304 billion operating budget to deliver – from uniforms and

  • “SpeedDealer” demos wrap, new radar agreement expected early 2021

    Using a try-before-you-buy strategy, a team within the Digital Directorate headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, completed a series of live-fly demonstrations Sept. 26 to evaluate three commercially available, production-ready and deployable long-range radar systems.

  • AFMC, AFGSC establish Weapons System Lead Wing Collaboration Program

    Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., AFMC Commander, and Gen. Timothy M. Ray, AFGSC Commander, cosigned a memorandum aimed at developing deeper collaboration between the program offices and operational wings, providing a venue for acquisition and operational Airmen to gain insight into each other’s

  • ABMS signs more companies post onramp

    This most recent selections – the fourth round announced in as many months – support an ABMS acquisition strategy that spurs competition from a variety of traditional defense as well as commercial-focused sources and streamlines the contracting process to produce capability in roughly four month

  • AFLCMC seeks program managers at Hanscom AFB

    The event will bring together hiring managers and qualified candidates seeking program management positions in the Digital and Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks Directorates.

  • Acquisition chief to host AFVentures-focused 'Ask Me Anything'

    Col. Nate Diller, AFWERX director, will moderate and co-host the live, virtual event that provides an opportunity for Airmen and Space Professionals, industry partners, the American public and members of the media to directly engage with Roper and Diller on all things AFVentures.

  • BLUE: The AI Advantage

    The Air Force aims to harness and wield the most optimal forms of artificial intelligence to accomplish all mission-sets of the service with greater speed and accuracy. One way to accomplish this effort is by embedding innovative Airmen of all ranks and backgrounds into academia and industry across

  • DAF ACT contracting executes N95 mask production for DoD

    The Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force (DAF-ACT) executed a $126 million contract on May 1 for expanded production of N95 masks—26 million per month—starting in October. The contract, awarded to 3M, will increase the supply chain of N95 masks and resupply the Strategic

  • Air Force realigns program executive officers

    The Air Force Materiel Command’s Air Force Life Cycle Management Center will split Fighters and Bombers Directorate into a Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate and a Bombers Directorate.

  • AFMC, ACC expand weapons system collaboration

    Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., Air Force Materiel Command commander and Gen. Mike Holmes, Air Combat Command commander, signed a memorandum of agreement establishing the Lead Wing Collaboration Program during the Technology and Acquisition Sustainment Review Conference Jan. 29, at Joint Base

  • MacDill AFB awards contracts to small businesses

    At MacDill AFB Pitch Day, small-business vendors presented proposals to help fulfill requirements, close capability gaps or provide potential technology advancements at the 6th Air Refueling Wing.

  • First virtual pitch day contract awarded

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa A8I Operational Innovation Branch and the 764th Enterprising Solutions Squadron awarded their first virtual Pitch Day contract, Dec. 13.

  • BLUE: Target Acquisition

    To meet emerging threats and maintain domain dominance, the Air Force is moving beyond antiquated acquisition processes and opening new avenues to smaller, more agile businesses to develop and acquire new technology.

  • Roper: Air Force of the future is faster, smarter, bolder

    “To become a more competitive acquisition system, the Air Force needs to be aware of trends in technology,” said Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics. “The world is changing, we have to change with it. The key is to decide which technology

  • Air Force targets drones during latest Pitch Day

    The day-long event began with thirteen pitches from businesses, followed by deliberations by Air Force junior officers and civilians, who chose to award Phase 1 small business contracts to every Pitch Day participant.

  • AFMC conducts focus groups across enterprise

    The AFMC We Need enterprise-wide initiative, launched in late June 2019, seeks inputs and recommendations from AFMC civilian and military Airmen that can help posture the command to best support the National Defense Strategy today and in the decades to come.

  • BLUE: Blueprint to Battlefield

    Getting new technology from the lab bench to the warfighter has taken on new urgency as the Air Force explores innovative ways to move ideas quickly from blueprint to battlefield. Those efforts are already paying off with advancements that are having a direct effect on missions around the world.

  • ACE helps programs avoid risk and grows managers

    When the Combat Search And Rescue mission-planning application needed modernization, its program managers turned to the Acquisition Center of Excellence at Hanscom Air Force Base to chart a process for fast fielding using CSAR Airmen’s frequent input.

  • Air Force releases 2018 Acquisition Report

    The Air Force released the Fiscal Year 2018 Air Force Acquisition Annual Report April 2, emphasizing the need to field tomorrow’s Air Force faster and smarter.

  • Faster, smarter: Speed is key in acquisition reform

    Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, spoke about fielding tomorrow’s Air Force faster and smarter by reforming the acquisition process at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Dec. 28.

  • BLUE: Blueprint to Battlefield

    Getting new technology from the lab bench to the warfighter has taken on new urgency as the Air Force explores innovative ways to move ideas quickly from blueprint to battlefield. Those efforts are already paying off with advancements that are having a direct effect on missions around the world.

  • Bunch nominated to command AFMC

    Lt. Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr. has been nominated by the president for a fourth star to become the next commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

  • SecAF Wilson provides Air Force update

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson presented an update of the state of the Air Force Sept. 17, during the 2018 Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor.Wilson discussed restoring force readiness, space operations and the future of the Air Force during her

  • Pawlikowski tenure marked by effectiveness, Air Force readiness

    Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski will retire from the Air Force in September following 40 years of service. As only the third femalefour-star general in the history of the Air Force, Pawlikowski’s career was marked by extraordinary achievements across the science and engineering domains.

  • Around the Air Force: May 2

    On this look around the Air Force, some changes are made to Enlisted Professional Military Education, Airmen volunteer to clean up areas outside of Latvian children’s centers, and a new acquisition program has the potential to save the Air Force two billion dollars.

  • Lt. Gen. Bunch gives acquisition update at AFA breakfast

    Lt. Gen. Arnie Bunch, military deputy for the office of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, spoke about the state of the acquisition enterprise during an Air Force Association breakfast in Washington D.C., Oct. 17, 2017.

  • AF introduces Air Superiority 2030 study

    The Air Force introduced the results of a yearlong study focused on developing capability options to ensure joint force air superiority in 2030 and beyond during an Air Force Association breakfast April 7 in Arlington, Virginia.

  • New leadership for AF Acquisitions, Logistics

    Today, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James announced that Darlene Costello, a senior acquisition official in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L), is assuming the duties of the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for

  • Acquisitions enterprise: Experimentation and agility

    A key leader in Air Force acquisitions testified Jan.7 on Capitol Hill before the House Armed Services Committee on acquisition reform, explaining how the Air Force is improving its acquisitions processes through agility and experimentation.

  • Air Force acquisition lead moves to MITRE

    The Air Force announced Nov. 18 that Dr. William A. LaPlante, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, is transitioning from government service to a senior position at the MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that operates federally funded research and development

  • Securing the future by Bending the Cost Curve

    Bending the Cost Curve, one of the 13 Make Every Dollar Count cost initiatives launched by the Air Force, includes a growing and evolving set of more than 20 acquisition reform activities. These activities are focused on finding ways the Air Force can be more effective at how it spends money to get

  • LaPlante receives W. Stuart Symington Award

    The Air Force Association presented Dr. William J. LaPlante the W. Stuart Symington Award at an Air Force anniversary dinner Sept. 16 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington D.C.

  • Initiatives to improve Air Force acquisition

    Addressing an audience of industry and government employees in Lexington, Massachusetts, May 13, the Air Force’s Service Acquisition Executive spoke about acquisition priorities, challenges and initiatives.

  • Acquisitions enterprise: Agility and people key to reform

    Dr. William LaPlante, assistant secretary of Air Force acquisition, along with the Navy and Army acquisition secretaries testified on acquisition reform before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, April 22.

  • Initiative provides incremental acquisition improvement

    The basic idea behind the Defense Department’s Better Buying Power initiative, now entering its third iteration, has been to improve acquisition through continuous improvement in many areas simultaneously, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief said here April 13.

  • Sequestration threatens America’s airpower advantage

    Air Force senior leaders testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Airland March 19, and said with the return of sequestration-level funding, America’s airpower advantage is increasingly at risk.

  • Tyndall AFB takes F-22 pilot training to next level

    The Air Force’s ability to continue developing a fifth generation fighter aircraft fleet ready to meet the challenges of future warfare, hinges in large part, on a steady influx of capable and trained F-22 Raptor pilots.