The Air Force does plan to hold a reduction in force board in June to identify approximately 600 officers in select year groups—1995, 1996, 2000, and 2001—to involuntary separate from the service by Jan. 29, 2008. Service officials said in January that a RIF was possible if USAF didn’t get enough volunteers. As of March 1, about 2,210 officers had opted to leave the service and take voluntary separation pay—an option that now remains open until March 31.
As the threat of Iranian-made drones grew, the Air Force rushed last year to equip F-15E Strike Eagles in the Middle East with a cheap, cost-effective way of defeating them. The service fielded the new capability in roughly a week.
