Air Force officials look at robots for aircraft ground refueling

Efforts are under way within the Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate to develop an automated aircraft refueling system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Successful development and testing of the system will provide a feasible alternative to manual refueling of

By studying bats, researchers look to enhance micro air vehicles

Air Force-funded researchers from several universities are studying the flexible, flapping wings routinely used by bats and insects and mimicking their biological attributes to improve agility, speed and adaptability in micro air vehicle systems. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research manages

Miniaturization of electronic chips could improve computers

An electrical and computer engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University is conducting Air Force Office of Scientific Research-supported work on the miniaturization of electronic chips, which would allow for lighter, smaller and faster computers for the Air Force. Dr. Alexander Kaplan has found

Radio program enables speedy personnel recovery

Officials of the Electronic Systems Center delivered the 20,000th Combat Survivor Evader Locator radio to operators in the fall of 2008, and now are on track to deliver an additional 20,000 to warfighters. Credited with saving many lives, CSELs have been in use in Iraq and in Afghanistan for several

Air Force awards B-2 radar modernization program contract

Air Force officials awarded a production contract to the Northrop Grumman Corporation Dec. 29 for the B-2 stealth bomber radar modernization program. The production contract, with a target price of approximately $468 million, will provide advanced state-of-the-art radar components to ensure

AFSO21 experts tour Robins AFB

Efforts of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century to find better ways to get things done brought top military and civilian leaders to Robins AFB Dec. 16, in part to observe where things are being done right within base organizations. Nineteen general officers toured parts of the Warner

AF, Northrop Grumman agree to maintain LAIRCM at Robins

Maintenance personnel here will begin to take on the added responsibility of maintaining an advanced weapons system that protects large cargo aircraft from attacks from shoulder-fired missiles, thanks to a contract agreement between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman. On Dec. 11, Brig. Gen. Mark

Improved drilling process is safer, saves money

In another example of a Lean initiative, an improved process for drilling a duct-liner is proving to be safer, faster and on course to save the Air Force $47,000 a year. For seven years, mechanic Jerry Heiskill dealt with the frustration and discomfort of using a hand-held drill to re-drill holes

Tinker first sergeants develop program to help motorcyclists

First sergeants here have formed a program entitled "Operation We Care" which allows them to identify motorcycle riders who may be at a higher risk of an accident. According to Master Sgt. Ronda White, whenever a first sergeant notices that a motorcycle has bad tires or that the paint of the

Integrated process team addresses logistics issues

The consolidation of supply chain activities into the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center presented a fresh opportunity to address some systemic issues in how the Defense Logistics Agency supports the Air Force. Leaders representing both organizations received an update on these issues along

Hanscom AFB welcomes home 'heroes'

Senior leader assignments, retirement impact AFMC

Two generals within Air Force Materiel Command are on the move, a third is retiring while a fourth general is inbound, according to a Dec. 12 senior leader announcement. Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune will become the Air, Space and Information Operations director at Headquarters AFMC, located at

Civilian voluntarily deploys to help Airmen

For four years, Lisa Matney has worked at Robins AFB helping troops and their families prepare for deployment. Over the past two months, her professional experience has given her new perspective on her job. This time, Ms. Matney is the deployee. She is the first civilian from the Airman and Family

Buddy care training enables NCO to aid car accident victims

After hearing the sound of a crash followed by a cloud of smoke and debris on Highway 14 in Lancaster, Calif., Dec. 7, an Airman from Edwards AFB rushed to the scene to help save the lives of two strangers. When Tech. Sgt. Rondale Alexander, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Air Force Flight

Take note: Air Force bands also are “in the fight”

U.S. Air Force bands--like Air Force Materiel Command's Band of Flight located here -- perform thousands of concerts each year. A number of those performances are held for people in locations far away from this country as part of a relatively new "hearts and minds" campaign being led by military