Lt. Gen. Stephen Wood, USAF’s deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, said that the Quadrennial Defense Review’s direction to develop a “five-fold increase” in long-range strike capabilities is related to timing rather than a specific number of platforms. Wood told reporters that USAF plans to sharply accelerate the timeline for fielding a new bomber-like capability, from 2037 to “within the 2020 timeframe.”
As Hurricane Melissa hammers the Caribbean, the U.S. Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters” are busy flying into the massive Category 4 storm to collect atmospheric data—with one experiencing greater than expected turbulence Oct. 28.

