CMSgt. David Popp, the top enlisted man for Air Combat Command, has been visiting ACC airmen deployed to Southwest Asia to see up close and personal whether the training and equipment ACC provides is right for the job. Of keen interest, said Popp, are airmen working in traditional Army jobs, such as convoy operations and some civil engineer work. What has he found? Popp said, “We have people at the tip of the spear who say they’re utilizing the people we sent, but some of them need more preparation.”
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.