Lawmakers have received the Rand analysis of the planned consolidation and shift of test assets from Eglin AFB, Fla., to Edwards AFB, Calif., and the savings picture is not as rosy as painted by Air Force Materiel Command, reports the Northwest Florida Daily News. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) told the newspaper that his staff is still reviewing the “very thorough analysis,” but he noted that Rand indicated “significantly less” cost savings than anticipated by AFMC. The proposal sparked quite a controversy last year around the Florida Panhandle base, prompting Congress to prohibit any action until the issue can be further studied. There are still two more analyses in the works concerning potential cost-saving research, development, and test consolidations throughout DOD.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.