Gordon England has been serving as the Acting Deputy Defense Secretary since May 2005, but he also retained his leadership of the Navy. On Dec. 29, England formally resigned as Secretary of the Navy. The new Navy Boss, Donald Winter—confirmed by the Senate on Nov. 10—takes up the mantle today. For the five day interim, the Navy’s Deputy Secretary, Dionel M. Aviles, served as Acting Secretary.
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.