The Eye of the Beholder: Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England took exception with Air Force leaders who would rather retire C-5As and buy additional C-17s with the savings. England told the Senate Armed Services Committee Wednesday, “In my judgment, this will come out that we will upgrade the C-5s.” The Air Force plans to ask lawmakers to remove a Congressional restriction on retiring the C-5As. England admits that “people are still, frankly, looking at this issue,” but he maintains that it’s a question of “timing”—the C-5s are needed.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
