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.”
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.