DefenceTalkA B-1B bomber out of South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base crashed in a remote area of southeastern Montana on Monday but the four crew members survived, Air Force officials said. The two pilots and two weapons system officers ejected from the aircraft before the bomber crashed near Broadus, Mont., said Col. Kevin Kennedy, commander […]https://www.defencetalk.com/b-1-bomber-out-of-sd-crashes-in-mont-crew-ejects-48793/

DefenceTalkDue to resource constraints caused by sequestration, Air Force Space Command has directed the 21st Space Wing to prepare to discontinue operations at the Air Force Space Surveillance System by Oct. 1. Final decisions on all Fiscal Year 2014 budget issues will be made over the next few weeks. By discontinuing operations, the AFSSS would […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-space-command-discontinues-space-surveillance-system-48760/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force intercepted for the first time an anti-ship cruise missile surrogate using Raytheon’s Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) cued by JLENS. An affordable, elevated, persistent over-the-horizon sensor system, JLENS uses a powerful integrated radar system to detect, track and target a variety of threats. “Integrating JLENS’ precision detection […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-and-usaf-intercept-cruise-missile-for-first-time-with-jlens-guided-amraam-48707/

DefenceTalkThe United States has delayed plans to supply Egypt with an additional four F-16 fighter jets due to unrest gripping the country, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. “Given the current situation in Egypt we do not believe it is appropriate to move forward at this time with the delivery of F-16s,” spokesman George Little told […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-suspends-delivery-of-f-16s-to-egypt-pentagon-48562/

DefenceTalkThe first Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II to be assigned to Air Combat Command’s (ACC) 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., was ferried from the company’s Aeronautics facility located here. Maj. Gen. H. D. Polumbo, Jr., commander, Ninth Air Force, Air Combat Command, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., flew the Super […]https://www.defencetalk.com/lockheed-delivers-first-hc-130j-to-moody-air-force-base-48556/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Air Force (USAF) has awarded Accenture Federal Services a two-year, $42.2 million contract to continue work on improving the Air Force financial management system. The contract supports the second phase of continued development activities for the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System (DEAMS), the Air Force’s principal financial transformation initiative. DEAMS integrates data […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-air-force-awards-accenture-contract-for-financial-management-system-improvements-48239/

DefenceTalkThe Air Force’s most advanced strike aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II, is a vital capability that the nation needs to stay ahead of adversary technological gains, the Air Force chief of staff told a Senate panel here, June 19. Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Defense, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said air […]https://www.defencetalk.com/f-35-is-backbone-of-air-forces-future-fighter-fleet-welsh-says-48196/

DefenceTalkIndications are that the F-35 joint strike fighter program — the most expensive aviation program in Defense Department history — is on track, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics told a Senate panel here June 19. Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee this morning, Frank Kendall said the F-35 will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/joint-strike-fighter-on-track-costs-coming-down-kendall-says-48171/

DefenceTalkThe Air Force released details of the service’s plan to fully integrate women into previously closed career fields June 18. The implementation plan was recently submitted to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel for review. More than 99 percent of Air Force positions are currently already open to female Airmen. In fact, 2013 marks the twentieth […]https://www.defencetalk.com/air-force-sets-plan-to-integrate-women-in-combat-jobs-by-2016-48168/

DefenceTalkThe Air Force inactivated the 81st Fighter Squadron June 18, here, in support of force-shaping procedures across the service. The squadron employed the A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the closure signals the end of A-10 operations in Europe. “For 71 years, the men and women of this fine squadron have ensured America’s security,” said Col. David […]https://www.defencetalk.com/fighter-squadron-inactivation-signals-end-of-a-10s-in-europe-48146/