CMSAF Gerald Murray told legislators that the “extreme stress” that 15 years of combat has levied on USAF equipment has made it “exceedingly difficult, costly, and frustrating” to maintain. “We’re running to stand still, when we should be running to improve our readiness, reduce costs, sharpen our capabilities, get ahead, and stay ahead,” said Murray at a Feb. 15 House Appropriations subcommittee hearing. He added, “These are the frustrations I hear and see every day.”
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
