At the Projection Forces Subcommittee hearing last night, Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.) asked whether the Air Force would prefer to buy more C-17s or recapitalize its tanker fleet. Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman, military deputy for acquisition, said the service is serious about recapitalizing the KC-135 fleet effectively and quickly. (Read his written testimony here.) Hoffman revealed that on Monday when he met with the Chief of Staff, Gen. Michael Moseley, Moseley said, “I’ll take the first tanker before I take the 181st C-17.”
Senate and House leaders unveiled their compromise conference report for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 7—and the annual defense policy bill is poised to pump the brakes on the Air Force’s plans to retire dozens of F-15E, F-16, and F-22 fighters in the coming years. The report, a combination…