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  • Air Force sets weight restrictions for F-35 pilots

    Air Force leaders recently made a decision to restrict pilots weighing less than 136 pounds from flying the F-35A Lightning II due to safety concerns about the ejection seat in a portion of the flight envelope.

  • Hill commemorates new era in combat airpower

    Hill Air Force Base officials and the Top of Utah community officially welcomed the F-35 Lightning II at a ceremony here Oct. 14, an event that formally marked the beginning of F-35 operations for the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings.

  • WWII flying ace encounters new generation of aircraft

    Seventy five years ago, a 20-year-old Tom "Ginger" Neil flew a Hawker Hurricane for the Royal Air Force, shielding his homeland against thousands of German bombers in the Battle of Britain -- the first ever battle decisively fought in the air. This month marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the

  • Air Force Materiel Command: Aerospace revolutionaries

    Gen. Ellen M. Pawlikowski, the Air Force Materiel Command commander, showcased AFMC’s revolutionary capabilities in her address at the Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 15.

  • ACC commander talks 5th generation warfare, innovation at AFA

    Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the Air Combat Command commander, addressed advances in 5th generation warfare and the importance of delivering cutting-edge technology during the second day of the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition.

  • Defense secretary visits Nellis

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited the Nellis Air Force Base Aug. 26 to observe Red Flag 15-4 operations and speak to Airmen and coalition partners about the future of the force and innovation.

  • First operational F-35As arrive at Hill AFB

    The Air Force ushered in a new era of combat air power today as Hill Air Force Base received the service's first two operational F-35As.Hill's active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing will be the first combat-coded units to fly and maintain the Air Force's newest

  • Polish, US forces improve interoperability at Lask AB

    Four F-16 Fighting Falcons, two F-22 Raptors and a C-130 Hercules arrived at Lask Air Base Aug. 31. The Airmen and aircraft are in Poland for separate flying training events with allies to demonstrate the countries' shared commitment to the collective security of NATO and the enduring peace and

  • Ground testing for F-35 gun conducted at Edwards AFB

    The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force is in the process of testing the F-35A Lightning II’s newest munitions asset, a four-barrel Gatling gun that fires 25 mm rounds known as the GAU-22/A.

  • Harrigian cites sustainment center’s F-35 support

    The head of the Air Force's F-35 Lightning II integration team cited the Air Force Sustainment Center's overall joint strike fighter support during a visit to the center’s headquarters at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, July 10.

  • Jackson speaks on way ahead for Air Force Reserve

    The head of Air Force Reserve Command discussed the Reserve’s future role in F-35 Lightning II maintenance manning, along with other initiatives July 7. Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson spoke at the Air Force Association’s monthly breakfast at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

  • SecAF visits key operating locations in European theater

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James completed a multination visit throughout Europe June 13-24. The secretary met with Airmen, civilians, host nation community leaders, and allied and partner nation military leaders in countries including Germany, Belgium and Poland during her second visit

  • Test flight completed after F-35B modifications

    The Ogden Air Logistics Complex completed an F-35B Lightning II functional check flight at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 18, after the first depot-level short take off and vertical landing modifications were completed on two F-35Bs for the Marine Corps.

  • Kendall cites progress on F-35 performance, schedule, cost

    The F-35 Lightning II program (also known as the Joint Strike Fighter program) is making progress on performance, schedule and cost, Frank Kendall, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told U.S. reporters last week during a teleconference from Norway.

  • Luke's 56th Fighter Wing has new mission

    Luke Air Force Base's 56th Fighter Wing conducted a change of mission ceremony May 21, formally including the F-35 Lightning II as part of the wing's new mission statement.

  • 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.

  • Luke commander brings home flagship F-35

    The 56th Fighter Wing flagship F-35 Lightning II arrived at Luke Air Force Base April 28, it was the base's 22nd F-35. Flying the aircraft from Lockheed Martin's Forth Worth, Texas, plant to Arizona was Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the 56th FW commander.

  • F-35 program ‘on right track,’ director says

    Despite its numerous setbacks, the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program is on the right track to meet aircraft delivery deadlines, the program’s executive officer told a House Armed Services Committee panel April 14.

  • Eielson AFB retains aggressor mission

    Air Force officials announced April 14 that Eielson Air Force Base will retain the 18th Aggressor Squadron and its assigned 18 F-16 Fighting Falcon aggressor aircraft.

  • CSAF describes Air Force of the future

    In the future, the Air Force’s core missions will probably not change, but the way they are carried out will, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III on April 8.

  • 1,000th F-35 training sortie flown at Luke AFB

    The 56th Fighter Wing flew its 1,000th F-35A Lightning II training sortie March 31, making it the fastest F-35 wing to reach the 1,000-sortie milestone in the Defense Department.

  • DARPA uses open systems to boost airpower

    The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is unveiling a new program to boost U.S. air superiority by separating payloads such as weapons and sensors from the main air platform, and using open-system architectures to seamlessly integrate plug-and-fly modules into any kind of platform.

  • F-35 Lightning II costs drop, report shows

    A recent account of F-35 Lightning II aircraft program costs shows decreases, the Air Force’s F-35 program executive officer told reporters in a media roundtable March 24, 2015.

  • First Luke F-35 student takes to the sky

    The 56th Fighter Wing officially began training new F-35 Lightning II pilots when the first student, Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the commander of the 56th Fighter Wing, flew the wing's first training sortie March 18.

  • AF announces 23 AFSCs on reenlistment bonus list

    Enlisted Airmen in 23 Air Force specialty codes may be eligible to receive a selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) effective March 12, Air Force officials announced March 12.The Air Force is moving forward with a higher end-strength, so AFSCs eligible for the SRB program will increase to address

  • Handheld imaging tool expands aircraft inspection capability

    When pilots climb into the cockpit they expect their aircraft to perform as expected, regardless if take off is from a home or deployed location; but ensuring that the aircraft is healthy enough to fly has become a challenge for the Air Force.

  • AF leaders seek relief from sequestration-level funding

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discussed the damaging effects of sequestration with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations’ Defense Subcommittee Feb. 27.

  • Air Force places 18 A-10 aircraft into 'Backup Status'

    The Air Force, with congressional authorization, will convert 18 primary combat-coded A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from active units and place them into Backup-Aircraft Inventory (BAI) status with the possibility to convert another 18 at a later date in fiscal year 2015.

  • Key defense suppliers recognized for stellar delivery to warfighters

    Getting top-notch materiel to the warfighters in the most cost-effective and efficient manner is what the American public expects of defense contractors. One of the things the military services are now doing to incentivize industry to improve is by recognizing their top performers. This is

  • Air Force names 2-star to lead F-35 Integration Office

    With the initial operating capability date of the F-35 Lightning II quickly approaching, the Air Force appointed Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian as the director of a larger Air Force F-35 Integration Office, Feb. 1.

  • F-35 arrival begins new era at weapons school

    A new era began at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School when its first F-35A Lightning II touched-down on the flightline here Jan. 15, flown straight from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas.

  • Australian F-35 lands at new home

    The first Royal Australian air force F-35A Lightning II arrived at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona Dec. 18, marking the first international partner to arrive for training.

  • Air Force identifies nickel-free material for F-35 aircraft systems

    Through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with the Air Force, Triton Systems, Inc., located in Massachusetts, developed a nickel-free material technology that is positioned for transition to several F-35 Joint Strike Fighter applications. Transition of this technology is

  • Survival instructor keeps F-35 training afloat

    Within the 33rd Fighter Wing, innovation doesn't end at the flightline, but finds its way into a 12-foot swimming pool where new F-35 Lighting II pilots are now able to seamlessly complete their water survival training.

  • AF engineers log record-breaking accelerated engine test

    A highly successful accelerated mission test (AMT) of Pratt & Whitney's F135 conventional take-off and landing/carrier variant (CTOL/CV) engine was recently completed in the Sea Level 3 test cell (SL-3) at the Arnold Engineering Development Center.

  • F-35 engine fix coming

    Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan, the head of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program office, said by the end of December he expects to have decided on a permanent solution for a design issue that caused an F-35A engine to fail in June at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

  • Airmen train for ‘new wild, wild west’ in cyber domain

    On any given day, the Defense Department defends itself against numerous cyber-attacks at installations throughout the world. To help combat this growing threat, Airmen from the 39th Information Operations Squadron train to defend computer networks against invisible ordnance in the operational

  • Hill AFB in midst of robust F-35 preparation

    Hill AFB’s preparations for the F-35A Lightning II, totaling more than $100 million, with 23 projects to be completed between September 2014 and July 2015, and 36 total projects will be finished once construction concludes in 2019.

  • F-35 on time to deliver global security, Air Force official said

    Work leading up the completion of the multinational F-35 program is largely on track, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office executive officer said in remarks during the 2014 Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition Sept. 15.

  • 67 plus years of airpower

    "We didn't become the world's greatest Air Force by accident," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody. "We got here through 67 years of American Airmen breaking new terrain and lifting us to a higher level. We should celebrate that innovation this year...

  • SecAF: From legacy of past to uncertain future, bold leadership key

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James gave her vision of bold leadership during the 2014 Air Force Association’s Air and Space conference and technology exposition here Sept. 15. She said the future of the Air Force is influenced by uncertainty of the world scene and the Air Force needs to

  • First pipeline F-35 crew chiefs graduate

    Nine Airmen became the first Air Force recruits to graduate initial skills technical training as F-35 Lightning II crew chiefs after completing Mission-Ready Airmen training here Aug. 7."The opportunity to be the first of something so important means a lot. I know many people are looking at us to be

  • James: Air Force grapples with Congress to fund readiness

    To balance readiness today and modernization tomorrow, the Air Force’s fiscal year 2015 budget request is shrinking like today’s defense budget thanks to Congress’s own priorities and the approaching threat of sequestration in 2016, Air Force leaders said July 30.

  • Kendall: F-35 Rollout Marks U.S.-Australia Partnership Milestone

    The official rollout of the first two F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force is a milestone in the U.S.-Australia partnership, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics said July 24.

  • F-35s return to limited flight operations

    The 26 Air Force F-35s Lightning II joint strike fighters assigned here returned to limited flight operations July 17 with the approval of commanders and Air Force airworthiness authorities.

  • F-35 returns to limited flight, officials rule out Farnborough

    While the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter has returned to limited flying, it will not be appearing at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said during a Pentagon news conference July 15.

  • Defense secretary visits Eglin AFB

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., where he addressed safety concerns and toured the 33rd Fighter Wing's F-35 integrated training center, July 10.

  • F-35 fleet temporarily grounded

    A Department of Defense spokesman has announced the temporary grounding of the F-35 fleet based upon a recent runway incident.

  • DOD, AF leaders look to F-35 maintainers for help

    The Pentagon will continue to seek aircraft maintainer suggestions and industry partner investments to reduce operating and sustainment costs by 10 to 20 percent as F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter improvements develop, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics

  • Eglin welcomes final F-35A

    The 58th Fighter Squadron became the Air Force's first complete F-35A Lightning II squadron after they welcomed their 26th and final F-35A May 28 at the 33rd Fighter Wing, here.

  • Australian air force makes home at Luke AFB

    The buildup of F-35 operations at Luke Air Force Base has begun, and the Royal Australian air force will soon be Luke's first international partner to train here on the F-35A Lightning II.

  • F-16s train alongside F-35s

    F-16s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, flew air-to-air combat training missions with F-35As assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

  • Air Force researchers test Google Glass for battlefield use

    Researchers with the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, are looking to make missions for Airmen a whole lot lighter and faster by testing Google Glass and its head-mounted optical see-through display technology, for potential battlefield use.

  • F-35 on time to replace previous tactical aircraft

    The F-35 Lightning II will enhance combat capabilities, project U.S. power and deter potential adversaries, Air Force officials told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on tactical air and land forces in a hearing on tactical aircraft programs there, April 8.

  • Top AF leaders speak at Nellis AFB

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, along with Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody, took time out of their base visit April 7, here, to engage Airmen in a town-hall style meeting in the Lighting Aircraft Maintenance Unit hangar.

  • Air Force leaders lay out budget priorities, concerns

    Air Force leaders testified April 2, before the Senate Appropriations Committee on their service’s top priorities now and for the future.Joined by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and National Guard leaders and Air Force Reserve leadership, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James

  • Air Force officials take tactical aviation strategy to Capitol Hill

    Air Force officials said on Capitol Hill during a hearing March 26 that while the Bipartisan Budget Act has provided greater stability for technology and acquisition, “hard choices” must continue to maintain current readiness and prime the force over the next 10-15 years.

  • AF undersecretary headlines F-35 unveiling at Luke AFB

    Luke Air Force Base celebrated the arrival of its first F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter with an unveiling ceremony here March 14. The event was attended by approximately 500 people, including elected officials, community leaders, representatives from partner nation air forces and many Luke

  • CSAF: Every budget decision hurts

    The Air Force’s fiscal 2015 budget request was built to ensure its combat power remains unequaled, Welsh told members of the House Armed Services Committee.

  • SecAF addresses budget challenges in Congress

    Newly-appointed Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James wanted to see the Air Force in action, so she spent her first 11 weeks on the job visiting 18 bases in 13 states, she told members of the House Armed Services Committee March

  • First F-35 Lightning II arrives at Luke AFB

    Escorted by two F-16 fighting Falcons, Luke Air Force Base's first F-35 Lightning II arrived a little after 11 a.m. March 10 from the Lockheed Martin factory in Fort Worth, Tex.

  • Program executive officer describes F-35 progress

    Progress remains steady in the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter’s operational testing, reprogramming, fueling, and stand-up training, the F-35 program executive officer told an audience at Aviation Week’s Defense Technologies and Requirements Conference here March 4.

  • SecAF discusses current, future challenges with ACC Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James visited here Feb. 27 to learn about the base mission and discuss the challenges facing the Air Force."This is my introduction to Air Combat Command," she said. "I have seen nothing but enormous energy from the Airmen here as they describe how excited they

  • SecAF discusses Air Force future, budget during defense summit

    Defense industry leaders and analysts received an insight into the proposed Air Force transformation and a preview of the Fiscal Year 2015 Air Force budget during the Bloomberg Government Defense Transformation Spending and Strategy Summit Feb. 26.

  • Hagel outlines budget reducing troop strength, force structure

    Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has proposed cuts in military spending that include further reductions in troop strength and force structure in every military service as part of an effort to prioritize U.S. strategic interests after more than a decade of war.

  • SecAF outlines top priorities during ‘State of AF’ address

    After her second month in office, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James laid out her top three priorities as part of a “state of the Air Force” address, during the final day of the 30th annual Air Force Association Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition Feb. 21.