The head of the Air Intelligence Agency, Brig. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas, has taken exception to comments attributed to Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Mundt criticizing the Air Force effort to become executive agent for unmanned aerial vehicles—at least the relatively large and high-flying ones. Jouas writes in an open op-ed that Mundt “disparaged” Air Force efforts to “optimize our nation’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities” and his “caustic comments … would have been better aimed at reducing competing UAV programs and mission redundancies.” Jouas goes on to say the Air Force objectives are to improve “joint force commander’s command, control, and employment of medium – and high-altitude UAVs operating above 3,500 feet and to eliminate duplicative acquisition efforts, reducing cost and ensuring interoperability. Earlier this week, Air Combat Command boss Gen. Ronald Keys expressed his frustration, saying that, if the UAV situation is left untended, there will be mid-air collisions and frequency conflicts.
Sticker Shock Drags Out USAF’s E-7 Negotiations with Boeing
April 18, 2024
While a deal on the E-7 Wedgetail airborne battle management jet may come soon, negotiations are stuck on the high price Boeing is asking for the development jets, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said recently.