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A Russian bomber SU-34 attacked a building near the Syrian city of Raqqa where a rebel leaders' meeting was being held as the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said. He pointed out that the headquarters were destroyed in result of the attack. According to his words, the intelligence on the meeting's place was provided by representatives of patriotic Syrian opposition forces. "We maintained a round-the-clock air-reconnaissance for two days in that area. After the rebel leaders' arrival at the place had been confirmed, a Su-34 performed an airstrike at the building. In the result of a direct hit with...

When a veteran or member of the armed forces dies, he or she is entitled to a ceremony that includes the presentation of a U.S. flag to a family member and a bugler blowing Taps. Most of the time, there is a three-volley rifle salute if requested by family members. But now, if the deceased served in the Air Force, the three-volley salute is not an option because the Air Force can no longer support riflemen for funeral services for veteran retirees. [....] “To me, without the 21-gun salute, it just does not make it complete a proper military burial,”...

The Air Force revolutionized drone warfare. Now it’s finding itself on the defensive. Rogue toy drones — a hot-selling Christmas gift this season and last — are starting to interfere with military operations at several bases across the country. With sales of consumer drones expected to approach 700,000 this year, military officials say they are bracing for the problem to get worse and are worried about the potential for an aviation disaster. Last month, an Air Force A-29 Super Tucano aircraft reported a near midair collision with a small rogue drone over the Grand Bay Bombing and Gunnery Range in...

Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp said they will continue their protest against the Air Force's selection of Northrop Grumman Corp to build a new long-range strike bomber, calling that process "irreparably flawed".

IRBIL, Iraq — The Air Force will allow enlisted personnel to become drone pilots for the first time to help meet demands for increased surveillance over global hot spots, according to a new policy announced Thursday. The decision, which follows months of study, is the latest Air Force effort to overhaul the growing drone program, which has struggled to recruit and retain enough officers to serve as drone pilots. Counterterrorism operations including the battle against Islamic State have created constant demand for aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR. Drone pilots say they are overworked and badly stressed. “This group...

Northrop Grumman has revealed a tantalising image of a new stealth 'superjet' capable of firing laser weapons. The so called 'sixth generation fighter' is rumoured to fly at supersonic speeds, although Northrop Grumman, who are developing it, say the specifications are still secret. The stealth craft is expected to use advanced cooling systems to help disguise its laser systems. Known internally as NG Air Dominance, the craft features laser weapons. The so called 'sixth generation fighter' is rumoured to fly at supersonic speeds, although Northrop Grumman, who are developing it, say the specifications are still classified. ==================================================================================================================== Chris Hernandez, Northrop's...

Ex-officer Michael Weinstein described the public prayers as an 'outrage' He claims Air Force Academy football players are forced to participate Weinstein insists display of Christianity could be used for ISIS propaganda A former U.S. Air Force officer has branded the ritual of military football players kneeling in prayer a ‘putrid’ example of ‘Christian supremacy’ and demanded it must stop. Michael Weinstein, president and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), insisted the public prayers so often seen on the football pitch before games are a scandalous outrage. He said Air Force Academy football players had approached the MRFF...

A decade after the Air Force Academy football team invited controversy and censure over an “I am a member of Team Jesus” banner in its locker room, the Falcons again appear to be striking a decidedly Christian pose, its members dropping to one knee and holding hands in a public pre-game prayer circle. The academy issued a statement saying it is investigating the practice after cadets and faculty brought it to the attention of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog group. “The United States Air Force Academy is attentive to all religious freedom concerns, and we are conducting an...

Donald Trump made a promise and he delivered. In October, the Republican presidential candidate made a commitment to U.S. Army First Sgt. Todd Landen (Ret.) very, very personal. In front of a large crowd at a Sioux City, Iowa, event, he promised the wounded veteran and his family that he would get action to end the runaround Landen was getting from the Veterans Administration. "I am going to put pressure on the VA like you won't believe," Trump said then. "As president, I can guarantee it. As Trump I can say, 'I'll probably be able to pull it off anyway.'"...

According to Turkish media, Ankara halted the flights of its aviation over Syria. ANKARA – Turkey has suspended its Air Force flights over Syria in the international coalition campaign in the fight against the Islamic State after the downing of the Russian Su-24 Fencer bomber, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reported Friday, citing diplomatic sources. On Tuesday, a Turkish Air Force F-16 downed the Russian bomber 4 kilometers from the Turkish border. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command confirmed that the Su-24 never crossed into Turkish airspace and was shot down over Syrian territory, citing precise objective...

In my latest In Depth Analysis (The Question of Government Size and Scope), I discussed four issues that should be kept very much in mind before we reflexively turn to government, especially the highest level of government, to solve our problems. But one thing I deliberately avoided in that essay was a consideration of the purpose of government in the first place. I’d like to address that briefly here. .... But in the midst of all these attitudes, predispositions, and mood swings, we really ought to stop to ask ourselves: What, in the abstract, is the actual purpose of government?...

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash., November 18, 2015 — Growing up in rural Tarlac province in the Philippines, Air Force Reserve Senior Airman Anne Venice Jalos, a finance manager with the 446th Airlift Wing here, never envisioned that at age 19 she would be serving the U.S. military as a naturalized citizen. "Being raised in the Philippines was very traditional; we depended on our parents a lot. Women weren't encouraged to succeed; it sometimes felt like I was being drug down," Jalos said. After her mother moved the family to the United States, Jalos felt emboldened with a new sense of...

Just a breaking news banner and video at link: http://go.cnn.com/?stream=cnn Full title: French air force conducting major bombardment against ISIS targets in Raqqa, Syria, the French Ministry of Defense says. Watch CNNgo.

He is an award-winning combat photographer who stands accused of trying to pick up women in the public affairs office at MinotAir Force Base in North Dakota, and for that prosecutors wanted to put him in prison for 130 years. The prosecutorial zeal was so great that an Air Force officer appointed to investigate the case said the piled-up charges were combined to “artificially exaggerate the criminality of the accused,” who often was simply “socially maladroit and crass.”

Remember this? http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/hear-this-intense-declassified-recording-of-f-14s-shoot-1739696849

NEW DELHI, OCT.29, 2015: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is staging its biggest exercise, codenamed 'Live Wire', to test its preparedness to fight a two-front war in case of a simultaneous armed conflict with China and Pakistan. This exercise, which begins on Oct 31, involves the simultaneous activation of all airbases across the country from Leh in Jammu and Kashmir to Car Nicobar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for about 15 days. "The most important part of Exercise Live Wire is to rehearse quick movement of air assets from one theatre to another," a top IAF officer explained to Arming...

WASHINGTON – The Air Force said Tuesday it chose Northrop Grumman Corp., maker of the B-2 stealth bomber, to build its next-generation bomber, a highly classified, $80 billion project designed to replace the aging bomber fleet with an information-age aircraft that eventually may be capable of flying without a pilot aboard. The loser of the high-stakes bidding contest was a team formed by Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp.

The Air Force just announced that the Long Range Strike Bomber contract has been awarded to Northrop Grumman.

LAS VEGAS - Private land overlooking the secret base at Area 51 has officially been taken from the owners and transferred to the United States Air Force. Last month, the U.S. Air Force condemned the Groom Mine property when the family who owns it rejected a government buyout they felt was unjust. The I-Team broke the story of the family's fight with the government. The Sheahan family, which until now owned the mine, knew they faced an uphill fight. They also expected the government would probably take the land through eminent domain even though the Sheahan's owned it since Abe...

Last month the Air Force announced it had received the final competing design submissions from Northrup Grumman and Boeing/Lockheed Martin for the Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B), also known as the B-3. The Air Force will be reviewing the two submissions and in a few months will announce who has won the contract for its first new bomber in 25 years. At the low end, the contract will be worth some $55 billion. But factoring in development costs and the cost-growth patterns of the last 20 years for these types of projects, the value of the contract easily ends up exceeding...