Det. 1, 13th Air Force, was activated today during a ceremony at Yokota AB, Japan. This new unit is expected to strengthen the US-Japan security alliance; its 50-person detachment will plan, coordinate, and execute air operations in and around Japan. They’ll work with the 613th Air and Space Operations Center in Hawaii, as well as the 5th Air Force at Yokota to coordinate with their Japan Air Self Defense Force counterparts. Col. Michael MacWilliam, who has worked as the 5th Air Force director of operations and plans, is to command the detachment.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
