Air University plans to restructure its staff and apply the savings—money and personnel—toward creation of a new independent research institute that will supplement the newly revitalized Checkmate. The new AU entity will be called the Air University Research Institute, and its primary job will be research and analysis of the Air Force contributions to national security. It will report directly to the AU vice commander, Maj. Gen. Allen Peck.
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.