Former head of US Transportation Command, retired Air Force Gen. John Handy, says that dismantling the C-17 production line now will limit America’s ability to “adequately support the war against terrorists.” Writing in the Los Angeles Times Friday, Handy maintains that DOD has failed to support USAF’s top unfunded priority and faces spending “many more dollars in the long run” should it belatedly realize it needs more than 180 of the new airlifters. Handy still believes that the pre-9/11 requirement for 222 C-17s is not sufficient to meet today’s elevated airlift needs. His letter ran the same day Boeing announced it has ordered its C-17 subcontractors to shut down (see below).
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.
