Gen. Tom Hobbins, US Air Forces in Europe commander, has spent the past three days in Russia, where he has flown in an Su-27 and MiG-29—a payback for F-15E rides provided two top Russian Air Force generals. Hobbins called the aircraft “meticulously maintained” and “very good.” Also on the agenda was a visit to the US embassy in Moscow, as well as Victory Park, a World War II monument dedicated to the victory over Nazi Germany. His trip concludes today.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…