Early Birds

FYI: The latest issue of Inside the Air Force is up early.

(Editor's note: You're going to see that kind of thing a lot over the next few days because of our holiday schedule. So stay tuned.)

Here are some highlights:

WITHOUT RESTORING FUNDING CUTS, ORS 2015 DEADLINE WILL NOT BE REACHED
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO -- The Air Force will not be able to reach U.S. Strategic Command’s desired operationally responsive space end-state of 2015 without restoring recent funding cuts made by Pentagon officials, Space Command’s ORS division chief told Inside the Air Force this month.

USAF TO APPLY AT-6B LESSONS LEARNED TO OA-X ATTACK PLANE EFFORT
The Air Force plans to take lessons learned from a light-attack plane sensor integration program and apply them to a potential acquisition program later down the road, according to service officials.

JROC REVIEWING SURVIVABILITY-RELATED KPP CHANGE FOR NEW HC/MC-130Js
The Joint Requirements Oversight Council is reviewing a change made by the Air Force to a key performance parameter for missile survivability on a dozen new C-130J-based special operations and rescue tankers that the service is hoping to field by 2012, according to documents reviewed by Inside the Air Force.

COMMAND LEAD: LARGE SATELLITES NEEDED FOR PROTECTED COMM MISSION
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, CO -- Air Force Space Command officials still envision small constellations of “very capable” satellites performing future protected communications mission even as concerns have been continuously raised in recent months about the expense of the service’s next constellation, a command official told Inside the Air Force this month.