DOD photograph by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta walks with U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Salvatore A. Angelella, commander of U.S. Forces Japan, upon arriving in Tokyo, Sept. 16, 2012. Panetta is scheduled to visit with defense counterparts in Tokyo before traveling to Beijing and Auckland, New Zealand, during a week-long…

Northrop Grumman has unveiled ReadyBlue(tm), a mobile app able to give secure, real-time insight into aircraft readiness, fleet readiness and mission capability rates.

As the Army transitions away from wartime commitments, what should the strategic focus be for future challenges?

Lockheed Martin photograph by John Rossino Another C-130J Super Hercules was delivered to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, from the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga., Sept. 13. Flying the aircraft to Dyess was Brig. Gen. Lee K. Levy II, Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. announced Sept. 17 that its Predator(r) B/MQ-9 Reaper RPA has successfully completed 106 full-stop Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability landings, a first for the multi-mission aircraft. The milestone was first achieved with four ATLC landings on June 27 at the company’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif. GA-ASI…

Air Force photograph by Jim Varhegyi From the left: Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force Association Chairman of the Board S.Sanford Schlitt and the Senior Enlisted Leader to the Chief, National Guard Bureau CMSgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall render honors during a wreath laying…

NASA’s long-lived rover Opportunity has returned an image of the Martian surface that is puzzling researchers. Spherical objects concentrated at an outcrop Opportunity reached last week differ in several ways from iron-rich spherules nicknamed “blueberries” the rover found at its landing site in early 2004 and at many other locations to date. Opportunity is investigating…

DOD photograph by D. Myles Cullen U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talks with a NATO chairman of defense in Sibiu, Romania, Sept. 14, 2012. The NATO chiefs of defense had a good discussion on events in Afghanistan and alliance plans in the region, Army Gen. Martin E….

Following a four-month journey, the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite reached geosynchronous orbit Aug. 27. The event is significant to the 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., because nearly 100 squadron members are now heavily involved in testing the vehicle. The Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles will…

Boeing photograph by Geoff Osborne From left: J.J. Choi, Samsung Electronics, BBJ Chief Pilot Rene Gonzalez, pilot Capt. Matt Coleman and BBJ president Captain Steve Taylor set a new world record for “Speed Over a Recognized Course” flying a BBJ non-stop from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand for installation of its VIP interiors. The…