T
he Air Force has made good on its plan to switch some fighter/bomber pilots to unmanned aerial vehicles. At least, Associated Press reports that the service says it recently shifted some 120 pilots to UAVs to help keep pace with a surge in UAV operations. Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, said last summer that the service must address a surplus of fighter/bomber pilots and a deficit in UAVs, special operations, and command and control systems. Lolita Baldor of AP reports that USAF had “more than doubled” UAV flying hours from January to October in Southwest Asia, climbing from about 2,000 in January to about 4,300 in October.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
