The Latest Stories from the AFA 2018 Conference
While billions over budget and years behind schedule, “Block 4 is going to be fundamentally, radically better,” especially in electronic warfare, argued AFA’s Doug Birkey. “In many ways, it’s an entirely new jet.”
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
“There’s no free money, right, so it has to come from somewhere,” said Lt. Gen. Clinton Hinote, deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements.
By Theresa Hitchens
On Sept. 17th, the Air Force celebrated its birthday with pomp, circumstance and cake. Behind the celebration, however, there are dangerous trends seen within the service, including a number of key platforms that are aging out and major expenses about to hit. David Deptula, the dean of the Mitchell Institute, says the service needs to…
By David Deptula
During the exercise, the F-15EX will test the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) EW suite, Lt. Gen. David Krumm says.
By Theresa Hitchens
“It’s ultimately a political decision, and … this demands a strong and fully staffed OSD,” said Mackenzie Eaglen, of the American Enterprise Institute. “That doesn’t seem likely until much later this year.”
By Theresa Hitchens
Directed energy thermal management, infrared suppression, virtual reality maintenance, and a reusable hypersonic capability are just a few innovations coming out of Rolls-Royce.
By Breaking Defense
The Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept uses a ‘hub and spoke’ network of permanent, well-established ‘hubs’ and more remote, austere ‘spokes’,” says Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeremy Sloane, commander of the 36th Air Wing in Guam.
By Theresa Hitchens
“All of the services are pursuing new long-range strike capabilities today, kind of like little kids chasing a soccer ball, and someone needs to ask which investments will maximize our nation’s long-range strike warfighting potential,” said Mitchell Institute’s Mark Gunzinger.
By Theresa Hitchens
While service in-fighting for budget share is a perennial fact of political life, this year’s version resembles the fictional, to-the-death “Hunger Games,” as all the services struggle with an essentially flat 2021 DoD top line and a mandate to shift gears away from fighting against low-level insurgencies toward global competition with Russia and China.
By Theresa Hitchens
Meanwhile, the X-37B robotic space plane has hit another record on its fifth mission, now having spent 777 days on orbit, says AFRCO Director Randall Walden.
By Theresa Hitchens