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  • Name the Tanker: Leaders seek inputs from Airmen

    Air Force senior leaders are asking all Airmen for suggestions on a name for the service's newest tanker aircraft, the KC-45A. "I've asked that we seek our Airmen's help to find a name for the KC-45," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne. "I prefer the name emphasize our heritage or our

  • Guardian Challenge awards announced

    Guardian Challenge, the Air Force's premier space and missile competition, reached its zenith after dinner the evening of May 9 as competitors anxiously awaited the results of the contest. Riding a wave of enthusiastic chanting, Gen. C. Robert Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space Command, took

  • Defense forum highlights need for scientists, engineers

    Air Force and U.S. officials forecast a serious shortage of scientists and engineers. That assessment was made by Joe Sciabica, executive director of the Air Force Research Laboratory, during a Regional Defense Forum here May 6. About 370 business and government leaders attended the event to foster

  • Guardian Challenge competition kicks off with spirit

    Guardian Challenge, the only space warfighter competition in the Air Force, is 17 years old and going strong. The competition pits the best-of-the-best space warfighters against each other, determining the top space wing teams in the Air Force. About 500 participants, supporters and local

  • Pentagon seeks to fund research in national security

    Defense Department officials here are developing a proposal to finance university research on national security-related issues, a senior Pentagon official said May 7. The Minerva Consortia, as it's called, would have the academic and intellectual communities focus on certain physical and social

  • Portable electronic power initiative energizes possibilities

    An Air Mobility Battlelab initiative could "energize" new possibilities for aeromedical evacuations in the future. Termed the Portable Electronic Power Supply for Aeromedical Evacuations, or PEPSAE, initiative, it addresses a problem of heavy and cumbersome avionic frequency converters used to power

  • Today Show features Malmstrom Airmen, mission

    Normally, seeing Airmen scramble around an intercontinental ballistic missile wing might make you think it's time to run for cover. This time, however, the wing's hustle centered on being featured live on a national news program. NBC's Al Roker and the Today Show broadcast live from the 341st Space

  • 'Today Show' to feature Space Command Airmen, mission

    NBC's "Today Show" is set to broadcast live May 6 from a wing in Air Force Space Command as part of their "Access Granted" series, which puts cameras in high-security places. The "Today Show" airs 7 to 11 a.m. EST.  Check listings for local broadcast times. For more information on Air Force Space

  • Engineers save Air Force millions with F100 engine test plan

    Collaboration between the F100 engine program office at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and test personnel at the Arnold Engineering Development Center here along with engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney has led to reduced test costs for component improvement verification testing at AEDC facilities.

  • Intel system transitions analysts into net-centric era

    The era of analysts who navigated through the world of intelligence data equipped with sticky notes and spreadsheets is being shelved to make room for a new set of tools that make use of Web-based applications. That's what the 950th Electronic Systems Group, part of the Electronic Systems Center

  • Dashboard takes on AFCENT's coordination battle

    Air Force communicators assigned to U.S. Air Force Central Command communications have taken on a monumental cyber battle and are showing signs of victory with the roll out of Commander's Dashboard recently. The CC's Dashboard is the knowledge management system created by USAFCENT communicators to

  • Send your name to the moon

    NASA invites people of all ages to join the lunar exploration journey with an opportunity to send their names to the moon aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, spacecraft.   The LRO is scheduled for launch in late 2008.The Send Your Name to the Moon Web site enables everyone to

  • Precision landing system ready for take off

    After many years of technology refinement, the Electronic Systems Center-led land-based increment of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System is poised to progress to the system development and demonstration phase. Known as JPALS, the system uses the Global Positioning System, or GPS, to

  • Synthetic fuel testing begins on fighter engine

    Engineers at Arnold Engineering Development Center began testing a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine April 29 in the J-1 simulated altitude jet engine test cell using a blend of alternative synthetic fuel.  The engine is the power plant for the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.Once testing and

  • Air Force receives last GPS IIR satellite

    The Air Force received the last in a series of GPS IIR(M) satellites from Lockheed Martin during an recent fly-out ceremony at the Lockheed Martin facility in Valley Forge, Penn. "The IIR satellites have been great," said Lt. Col. Doug Schiess, operations officer for the 2nd Space Operations

  • NASA officials turn to Air Force for 'Guppy' evaluation

    NASA officials brought the Super Guppy -- a uniquely-designed aircraft used to transport cargo, including parts of the space shuttle program -- to Tinker AFB in mid-April so that maintainers here could inspect the aircraft and perform some repairs. According to NASA Chief Flight Engineer Henry

  • AF, DOD leaders on tap for June Cyber Symposium

    The secretary of the Air Force and the vice chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will headline a list of high-level speakers scheduled to address the Air Force Cyberspace Symposium II set for June 17 to 19 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center in Marlborough, Mass. Air Force Secretary

  • Gates urges unconventional thinkers to address unconventional challenges

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates challenged military officers to become forward thinkers with the courage to advance new approaches needed to confront current and emerging threats. "An unconventional era of warfare requires unconventional thinkers," Secretary Gates told Air War College students

  • New satellite provides more power, better warfighter support

    The most powerful communications satellite in the Department of Defense inventory is circling the Earth and went operational April 15.The Wideband Global SATCOM, or WGS, satellite is the first of six satellites that will take over long-haul communications from the legacy constellation, the Defense

  • Pearl-like coating from oysters could protect aircraft

    Scientists from the University of Dayton Research Institute have manipulated the process of shell and pearl formation in oysters to demonstrate a method for depositing pearl-like coatings onto various metal surfaces. This biomimetic research could lead to new lightweight, durable coatings able to

  • Air Force secretary tells cadets of changing times

    The Air Force has met the challenge of change with a combination of innovation, adaptability and flexibility for the last 60 years, said the Air Force secretary in his address to first and third class cadets April 8 in Arnold Hall here. "Character and leadership skills are always in high demand and

  • Airmen help flooding recovery efforts

    Airmen from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., recently provided satellite imagery to assist state and federal agencies in relief efforts following flooding in Missouri and Arkansas. Members of the 169th Communications Flight at McEntire Joint National Guard Base collected imagery using Eagle

  • Reserve officials activate space wing

    Air Force Reserve Command officials stood up its first space wing, the 310th Space Wing, April 4 at Peterson Air Force Base. The 310th SW expanded from a group to a wing March 7 and was officially recognized at the ceremony attended by Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the commander of Air Force Space

  • Air Force secretary discusses tankers, cyber operations

    The secretary of the Air Force spoke of the future while reflecting on the past during an April 3 and 4 visit to Hanscom Air Force Base. "For all the advances we've made, I still believe there are more imaginative things to be done with electronics," Secretary Michael W. Wynne said. He said he

  • Vandenberg Airmen launch missile successfully

    A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly launched at 1:01 a.m. April 1 by Vandenberg Air Force Base officials.The launch tested the weapon system's reliability and accuracy, and what makes this launch different is

  • Deployed dad watches son's birth via Web cam

    Rylan Todd was born weighing 8 pounds and 5 ounces at 11:01 p.m. March 25, and his parents watched him being born at a hospital near Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. The only thing different about this birth was that the father, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Todd, watched the birth via Web cam from thousands of

  • Air Force looks to improve antennas for micro air vehicles

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here currently are funding a professor from the University of Minnesota who is using objective structures in his project called "GameChanger" in an attempt to make new kinds of antennas for micro air vehicles to be used for military purposes. Micro

  • Research leads to improved wireless communication

    An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded researcher whose work focused on multi-user detection technology has made radio reception clearer in locations where interference is a challenge for deployed servicemembers. Dr. Rachel Learned's work in multi-user detection, or MUD, examined the

  • Air Force reaps dividends from scanning electron microscope

    Since receiving the largest-known scanning electron microscope in the world in September 2007, Air Force officials here said the documented savings to date on less than eight components exceeds $70,000. Tinker Air Force Base officials project annual savings to the Air Force of up to $1 million, plus

  • Researchers explore materials degradation in space

    When Space Shuttle Endeavor launched March 11, more than 1,000 new materials were onboard to be tested as a part of the sixth Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE-6. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research initiated MISSE-6 to gain a theoretical understanding of the

  • Vandenberg lieutenant has special tie to Endeavour mission

    The crew of the recent Space Shuttle Endeavour traveled with a unique payload designed in part by a lieutenant assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base. 1st Lt. Anna Gunn-Golkin, a 1st Air and Space Test Squadron launch mission manager, was part of a nine-person team that designed, built and tested the

  • New warfighter education courseware released

    The commander of Air University has launched a major initiative aimed at enhancing the professional development of the Air Force warfighter. Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz recently released the first two courses of the Warfighter Developmental Education program. WDE is a Web-based educational program

  • 'Today's Air Force' features medical care downrange

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights critical medical care at Balad Air Base, Iraq. With the capability to position troops and distribute supplies during combat, the Air Force has another critical mobility facet, the transporting of medical professionals. See Air Force medical

  • B-1B achieves first supersonic flight using synthetic fuel

    A B-1B Lancer from the 9th Bomb Squadron here became the first Air Force aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using an alternate fuel March 19 in a flight over Texas and New Mexico. The fuel, a 50/50 blend of synthetic and petroleum gases, is being tested as part of an ongoing Air Force program to

  • Cape Canaveral Airmen launch Delta II rocket

    Air Force officials here successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Delta II booster carrying the sixth modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellite into space at 2:10 a.m. EDT March 15 from Space Launch Complex 17A here. The satellite will join the constellation of on-orbit satellites

  • Top leaders testify on '09 budget

    The Air Force's top two leaders testified before the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations subcommittees on Defense during hearings about the fiscal 2009 budget March 11 and 12. While the main topic of discussion among congressmen and senators remained the KC-45A contract award, Secretary of

  • Space Command hall of fame inductee honored

    The Navy rejected him for far-sighted vision he "might" develop later in life. So he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree on D-Day, June 6, 1944. By 1946 he was selected to serve in the super secret Manhattan Engineer District -- the

  • AF leaders focus on the future during CORONA South

    "Securing the Future" was the central theme of this year's CORONA South, held at Bolling Air Force Base here. The discussion and debate among the Air Force's senior leaders focused on preparing the Air Force to meet tomorrow's challenges as well as the potential need to restructure the force to

  • Vandenberg Airmen launch Atlas V rocket

    Vandenberg Air Force Base Airmen successfully launched a Atlas V rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Space Launch Complex-3 at 3:01 a.m. PDT March 13 here. The launch was the product of the combined efforts of officials from the 30th Space Wing, the National Reconnaissance

  • Computer protection: Good IDEA

    Buying software to protect your home computer ensures it is safe from Internet viruses and hackers. When Air Force officials buy intrusion detection software for the service's computers, they don't browse through the aisles of the local computer store.The Intrusion Detection Exploration Analysis

  • U-2 squadron continues to fly high

    Airmen of the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here continue to add to the U-2's 51-year history by being the only U-2 squadron in the area of responsibility supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Since its introduction in 1957, the U-2 and the Airmen who support it have

  • Biofuel research could result in alternative energy source

    Air Force-funded biofuel researchers are investigating ways to produce large quantities of hydrogen gas using photosynthetic microbes, commonly known as algae and cyanobacteria. In large quantities, the hydrogen gas could function as a renewable, cheap and clean energy source for future military

  • 45th Space Wing Airmen support NASA's successful launch

    With support from Airmen with the 45th Space Wing, Space Shuttle Endeavour blasted off safely from Kennedy Space Center March 11 at 2:28 a.m. (EDT), starting NASA's 25th mission to the International Space Station. The 45th SW's support included providing weather forecasts, helping organize and train

  • Secretary Wynne salutes Airmen

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force salutes all those who provide support to operations around the globe. "I am continually amazed at the Air Force's ability to project combat power to any spot in the world from non-deployed locations," Secretary of the Air Force Michael

  • Officials highlight training vision to industry leaders

    More than 70 representatives from 44 corporations met here March 6 to consider ways the civilian industry might partner with Air Education and Training Command officials to make the vision of the future of education and training a reality. Attendees at the AETC Industry Forum came from all parts of

  • Officials announce Air Force safety awards for 2007

    Air Force safety officials have announced the winners of the 2007 safety awards. A. Secretary of the Air Force Safety Award Category I: Air Mobility Command Category II: United States Air Force Academy B. Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award Air Mobility Command C. Col. Will L. Tubbs

  • 'Today's Air Force' features modernizing the force

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights how Air Force officials are modernizing more than just aircraft.  Air Force officials are using anthropometric surveys to design gear, supplies and crew ensembles. The surveys were necessary to determine the safety requirements of ejection seats,

  • ESC officials make digital air support possible

    Electronic Systems Center officials here are giving Air Force tactical air control party Airmen on the ground and in the fight every available advantage to help win the war on terrorism. Tactical air control party Airmen, known as TACPs, must be able to communicate precise coordinates to pilots

  • Replace aging aircraft or risk irrelevancy, general says

    The commander of Air Force Materiel Command, which is responsible for delivering war-winning capabilities to the rest of the Air Force, said during a visit to Air University here that Air Force officials must develop and buy new aircraft or risk the service becoming irrelevant. The Air Force must be

  • Air Force Reserve establishes first space wing

     Air Force Reserve Command officials are expanding the critical role reservists play in space operations by establishing AFRC's first space wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. Command officials will activate the 310th Space Wing March 7. The new organization is an expansion of the existing 310th

  • Energy Forum showcases environmental achievements

    Approximately 500 Air Force, government and industry leaders gathered to discuss current and future energy and environmental programs during the service's second annual Energy Forum March 3 here. The event was divided up into numerous forums with topics ranging from facility energy management to

  • Cyber warfare a major challenge, DOD official says

    Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England is the latest government official to express concern about the United States' cyberspace vulnerabilities. "Cyber warfare is already here," said Mr. England. "It's one of our major challenges." Describing the new battlefront, the deputy secretary said, "I think

  • 'Today's Air Force' features joint operations

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights joint operations during the Balikatan 2008 Exercise. This exercise is designed to improve crisis action planning, counterterrorism programs and the ability to operate simultaneously with international militaries. Also, see Airmen play the role of

  • Air Force personnel chief addresses lawmakers

    The Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services answered questions from members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committee subcommittees on personnel Feb. 27 and 28. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III joined sister service representatives, as well as Dr. David Chu, the

  • Joint effort made satellite success possible

    When analysts determined a satellite carrying a tank of 1,000 pounds of hydrazine fuel could be a threat to human life, the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies came together to find the best course of action. More than two dozen federal agencies collaborated to shoot down the

  • Latest Joint Force Quarterly focuses on airpower

    The latest edition of the Joint Force Quarterly, published for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University, focuses on airpower. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley opens the magazine's forum with an

  • AF leaders discuss future challenges

    Air Force major command commanders spoke to Airmen, Air Force Association members and other attendees about the challenges facing their organizations during the AFA's 24th annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition held here Feb. 21and 22. Driving home the urgent need to recapitalize the

  • AEDC-tested Navy Standard Missile destroys errant satellite

    "Way to go, baby."That is what Sherry Simons said here when Navy officials confirmed Feb. 20 that a Navy Standard Missile-3 fired from the deck of the USS Lake Erie in the Northern Pacific hit a falling and potentially dangerous defense intelligence satellite, some people here were particularly

  • Chief discusses strategy white paper at AFA symposium

    The chief of staff of the Air Force helped kick off the Air Force Association's 24th annual Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 21 in Orlando, Fla. Before hundreds of Airmen and civilians, Gen. T. Michael Moseley spoke about the future of the Air Force and also took the opportunity

  • Joint STARS goes beyond line of sight

    A straight line is the shortest distance between two points and the best way for communication to pass from one to the other, unless the earth's curvature prevents it. Then, what is known as beyond-line-of-sight, or BLOS, communication capability becomes necessary. BLOS uses two straight lines, one

  • The Air Guard migrates to the Air Force Public Web

    The Air National Guard has joined the Air Force in consolidating its public Web sites under one network, the Air Force Public Web. The Air Guard's public Web site has a new look and feel similar to other Air Force Web sites currently using the Air Force Public Information Management System, or

  • 'Today's Air Force' features airlift, medical training

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the Air Force's state-of-the-art technology for both air and ground operations. Also featured is a segment on cargo airlift in Southwest Asia. Airmen deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan deliver supplies to dangerous locations and, at the same time,

  • Air Force snags top national advertising award

    The Air Force earned one of the nation's top advertising honors Feb. 7, taking home a Golden Award at the 2008 ADDY Awards ceremony in Dallas. The technology section of the AIRFORCE.com Web site won best in class in the micro-site category, according to Air Force Recruiting Command officials. The

  • Bacteria research could protect Airmen from radiation

    An Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientist has identified manganese complexes in the bacterium Deinococcus radioduran that resists the damaging effects of radiation. The goal of the research is to investigate biomaterials that offer protection to Airmen from various environmental

  • New matting system to improve deployment capability

    Engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate here have made recent significant advancements developing a super-strong, lightweight composite airfield matting that speeds up forward aircraft deployments, expands parking space and reduces costs. Working with

  • Course provides pinpoint space education for leaders

    Until recently, many senior military and civilian leaders in the Department of Defense faced a dilemma regarding their understanding of space. There were no classes available to teach them the basics quickly and effectively. "We saw the need and designed the Space Operations Executive-level Course,"

  • Scientist demonstrates bendable electronics

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here recently have provided research funding for fast, bendable electronics to attach to unevenly shaped objects like airplane bodies or engines. A research team led by Dr. Zhenqiang Ma of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed

  • Edwards Airman flies high as first military F-35 pilot

    A pilot from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., became the first Air Force and government test pilot to fly the F-35 Lightning II during a test sortie at the Lockheed Martin facility Jan. 30 at Naval Air Station Fort Worth. Lt. Col. James Kromberg, the director of operations for the 461st Flight Test

  • Equipment provides advanced blood testing at Wilford Hall

    Wilford Hall Medical Center officials here recently advanced its blood-testing abilities with the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment. The STA-R Evolution machine performs coagulation testing, in which blood-clotting factors are analyzed and compliance with therapeutic ranges for

  • Squadron commanders, first sergeants meet senior leaders

    Squadron commanders and first sergeants had an opportunity to meet with the chief of staff of the Air Force during a conference here Jan. 24 and 25.  Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley called in Airmen from around the Air Force to get a candid perspective from the field while sharing

  • Air Force develops friend vs. foe identification system

    Air Force Research Laboratory officials here recently have developed a technology that helps identify friendly forces during combat exercises. Working with Lumitex Inc. of Strongsville, Ohio, members of AFRL's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate developed and fielded the Target Recognition

  • Air Force funds research into oil repellent surfaces

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research officials here currently are funding investigations into super oil repellent surfaces because of their potential utility in cleaning up jet fuel spills and protecting aircraft or rocket parts from fuel absorption. Drs. Gareth H. McKinley and Robert E. Cohen,

  • Air-to-ground missile launched from drone

    For the first time, an air-to-ground missile was launched from a full-scale aerial target drone, or FSAT.  The test was performed Jan. 9 by Airmen here with Detachment 1 of the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron. The FSAT is an unmanned QF-4 Phantom drone that was operated by remote control from a ground

  • Communications agency looks to protect data

    Air Force Communications Agency members here are aggressively developing a solution to protect personal and other sensitive information from being stolen and misused. Several government agencies have been victims of compromised data stored on stolen or lost computers during the past few years,

  • Closing enemy windows of opportunity

    The team is huddled around a laptop outside an enemy compound. One of the team members adjusts the image on the laptop and the picture becomes clear. Now the team can see the display of the enemy's computer, on a secure network, on the fifth floor of the building. After a decade of information

  • 'Today's Air Force' features alternative energy sources

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights an Air Force priority: alternative sources of energy.  Milestones have already been reached in the synthetic fuel testing program, and another version of the fuel has been used in some flightline ground vehicles that run on aviation gas. Also

  • Active duty, retired Air Force leaders gather

    Air Force leaders met with retired senior Air Force leaders at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., this past week to discuss important issues facing the Air Force. "The Air Force is at a critical moment in history," Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said. "Our nation needs to be proud of our

  • January-February Airman available online

    Air Force depot maintenance workers, like those at the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, keep Air Force aircraft flying in the war on terrorism. These mostly civilian home-front warriors, though half a world away from the front lines, play a vital role in the Air Force's

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the F-22 Raptor

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the F-22 Raptor.  Also featured are an air combat training exercise called "Red Flag" and the F-35 Lightning II. The F-22 reached initial operational capability two years ago, but until recently that operational presence was restricted to the

  • Malmstrom Airmen replace missile guidance systems

    Missile maintenance Airmen installed the final replacement to the missile guidance system at each missile launch facility of the base's Minuteman III fleet Dec. 4 at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The NS-20 system has been replaced with the NS-50 system through the Guidance Replacement Program. The GRP

  • Comm team prepares Kadena for cyber war

    "Intruders" from cyberspace are trying to hack into the Kadena Air Base network and steal information from unsuspecting e-mail users. The intruders are not hackers, though they pretend to be to gain access to information they would need if they wanted to cripple the mission here. Fortunately, they

  • Delta II with GPS payload successfully launches

    Air Force space technicians successfully launched a United Launch Alliance Delta II booster Dec. 21 carrying the fifth modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellite into space. The NAVSTAR GPS was launched at 3:04 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 17A here. The satellite will join the

  • NORAD set to track Santa; commander thanks troops, families

    Members of North American Aerospace Defense Command are gearing up to track Santa Claus' travels on Christmas Eve, providing detailed information about his whereabouts on the command's Web site and through a toll-free telephone line. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern

  • New eye exam technology improves productivity

    Air Force Materiel Command officials provided the 72nd Medical Group here with an early Christmas present, a new piece of optometry equipment that is saving the Air Force lost man-hours. The Optos 2000, a low-powered scanning laser ophthalmoscope, is eliminating the need to dilate a patient's eyes

  • 'Today's Air Force' features cyberspace domain

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the Global Cyberspace Integration Center or GCIC at Langley Air Force Base. Also featured is TRICARE's new Web site for beneficiary enrollment and one of the most unique careers in the Air Force, Tops in Blue. See how the talented uniformed

  • C-17 uses synthetic fuel blend on transcontinental flight

    The Air Force marked the 104th anniversary of powered flight Dec. 17 by completing the first transcontinental flight of an aircraft using a blend of regular aviation and synthetic fuel. A C-17 Globemaster III using the synthetic fuel blend lifted off shortly before dawn at McChord Air Force Base,

  • F-22s at Langley receive FOC status

    F-22 Raptors here reached full operational capability Dec. 12, said Gen. John D.W. Corley, the commander of Air Combat Command.The announcement officially makes Langley's F-22 squadrons combat ready. FOC for the F-22 means the aircraft are now ready for global engagement, said Lt. Col. Mark Hansen,

  • Kehler: 'The future of Space is now'

    "Air Force Space Command performs a national, and in some cases, an international space mission," said Gen. C. Robert Kehler, the new commander of AFSPC. "The space capabilities we provide today are embedded in all of our combat operations," he said. "They're also embedded in our military

  • F-15s undergo extensive technical inspections

    Air Force maintainers continue to perform methodical and time-intensive inspections on all F-15 Eagle A, B, C and D model aircraft which are revealing more cracks in the aircraft longerons. The discovery of more structural damage in the F-15s prompted the Dec. 3 stand-down order from Air Combat

  • 3-D imaging research could aid military planning

    Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded scientists are currently developing unique, updateable holographic 3-D displays that can be used in military applications. The holographic 3-D images can be used in command and control for viewing battle space in nearly real time using realistic images

  • Nellis to save $1 million annually with use of solar panels

    Officials from Nellis Air Force Base and SunPower Corp. are scheduled to finalize the commission of 15 megawatts in solar power to the base this month, making up North America's largest solar photovoltaic power system. When complete, the solar power will save the base $1 million annually. The switch

  • Technology conference powers down

    More than 500 exhibitors set up various displays to show off their cutting-edge technology to American military members the last week of November at the Interservice Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference at the Orange County Convention Center here.The latest in simulation and

  • General focuses on mission, future of AWACS

    The E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control system aircraft and its crews have led the way into battle many times in the past and are achieving combat excellence today, the commander of the nation's only AWACS flying wing said Nov. 27. The focus now, however, is on the future, Brig. Gen. Lori

  • AFIT cyber warriors win digital forensics challenge

    A team of four computer science and cyber operations graduate students from the Air Force Institute of Technology combined their cyber skills and interest in digital forensics to win the Grand Champion trophy at the annual DOD Cyber Crime Center Challenge, known as the DC3 Challenge, recently.This

  • Conference makes virtual training a reality

    The special weapons and tactics team quickly moves through the terrorist camp to the front of a safe house while forces from air and sea take out the rest of the camp. With precise and quick tactics, the team proceeds though the house, takes out the remaining terrorists, secures the hostage, and

  • Secretary sees first afterburning engine test with synthetic fuel

    The secretary of the Air Force viewed the first ground testing of the General Electric F101 engine using a 50-50 mix of Fischer-Tropsch and JP-8 jet fuels Nov. 27 at Arnold Air Force Base. Secretary Michael W. Wynne witnessed the first series to qualify a high-performance, afterburning engine with

  • General honored for decades of service

    The current longest-serving person in the Air Force was inducted into the Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall's Wall of Achievers during an enlisted academy graduation ceremony in downtown Montgomery recently. Maj. Gen. Thomas F. Deppe joins more than 140 individuals on the Wall of Achievers. Names

  • New IO course expands technology knowledge

    Recent studies indicate more than one billion people worldwide digest information through the Internet alone. The Air Force Doctrine Development and Education Center brought together 12 flag officers from across the defense department and governmental agencies Nov. 6 through 9 to learn how to

  • Officials release CSAR-X proposal request amendment

    Air Force officials released Amendment 5 to the Request for Proposals Nov. 15 for CSAR-X, the combat search and rescue replacement vehicle. Officials have conducted face-to-face meetings with all CSAR-X offerors after the release of Draft RFP Amendment 5. These face-to-face meetings with CSAR-X

  • Laser paint removal lessens production time, health hazards

    Six months ago, the process to remove paint from an aircraft part took four or five hours. Today, the use of lasers is accomplishing the job in 20 minutes. The 566th Aircraft Maintenance Group's Disassembly and Cleaning Unit can "nitpick" an aircraft part of its paint in that reduced amount of time