Hedging His Bets on the Missile Cuts: Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) has weighed in on the QDR-proposed Minuteman ICBM reductions, saying there will be “debate” over which missile base has to cut 50 ICBMs, but he, too, believes Malmstrom will be the loser. To offset that possibility, Burns is already working with the Air Force to reopen the base’s runway to set the stage for new missions. Burns says Air Force Secretary Mike Wynne told him an attributes study for the base is scheduled for March.
A new Air Force organization is searching for counter-drone firms to participate in a dozen or more exercises to help create operating plans by the end of this year for defending the service’s U.S.-based installations from drone attacks.