Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF’s intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance guru, has responded to a New York Times article that apparently intimated that USAF wants to “control the deployment of unmanned airplanes,” explaining—as he is doing a lot lately—that the Air Force simply believes it can control costs, end pointless duplication, and improve joint operations by becoming executive agent for unmanned aerial vehicle acquisition. And, Deptula writes that the issue of operational control is separate from that of executive agent and should be handled jointly to distribute intel more widely on the battle area—ground, sea, or air. (Here’s a link to an abstract of the original NYT article; it will cost you to read it now.)
Meink: Air Force Has Five More E-7s Under Contract
April 30, 2026
The Air Force has contracts in place for five additional E-7A Wedgetail airborne battle management aircraft, Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers April 30. Meink also said the Department of the Air Force wants to work with Congress to find ways to continue to fund the E-7 next year and beyond,…