The Air Force would like to get out of the ILO business, particularly when it means employing an airman outside his field (see above). Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Moseley made this point earlier this year, and Brig. Gen. Hoot Gibson, director of operations and training at the Air Staff, explained last week to members of the House Armed Services readiness panel that as “the ground component grows,” the Air Force has a 12-month plan “to get out of those duties and tasks that are not within our core competencies.” When challenged about what would happen if the plan doesn’t bear fruit, Gibson commented, “I am not sure I am prepared to speculate.” He went on to say, though, that the service is “very concerned” lest the ILO taskings become a negative factor in retention.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.