DefenseNews

Old is new again as Air Force special ops branch revamps training

September 19, 2023
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force Special Operations Command is going back to the future. As the U.S. enters its third year since 2001 without major combat operations, AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind sees an opportunity to reset how the Air Force trains its most elite corps — and he’s looking to the 1990s for inspiration. “The intent, as we’re looking at all of our pipelines, is…
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DefenseNews

With F-35 still missing, Marine Corps holds aviation standdown

September 19, 2023
The Marine Corps is pausing its aviation operations for two days as the disappearance of a Marine Corps F-35B jet over South Carolina on Sunday remains unsolved. The Corps’ Monday statement announcing the standdown cited three recent significant mishaps involving Marine…
DefenseNews

US Army’s Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon fielding delayed to year’s end

September 18, 2023
WASHINGTON —The U.S. Army will miss its goal to field the Dark Eagle Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon during the government’s fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, but is still aiming to deliver the capability by the end of the calendar year, according to the service’s acquisition chief. The delay is due to the cancellation of a critical test of the Common Hypersonic Glide Body, Assistant Secretary of…
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DefenseNews

Entire Air Force to miss recruiting goal, the first failure since 1999

September 14, 2023
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Air Force will miss its annual enlisted recruiting goal across all three components for the first time since 1999, as waning interest in military service and administrative hurdles continue to plague efforts to train the next generation of troops. The active duty Air Force made it about 90% of the way to its goal of 26,877 enlisted recruits, falling short by nearly…
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DefenseNews

At Air Force conference, officials call out effect of Tuberville holds

September 14, 2023
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Top Defense Department officials at an Air Force conference this week repeatedly decried — at times in direct and colorful language — a senator’s wide-ranging hold on confirmations of general officers and called on him to lift it. The comments at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference here continued the Pentagon’s recent pattern of…
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