The head of US Air Forces in Europe, Gen. Tom Hobbins, traveled to Bulgaria and Georgia recently, declaring that both countries are “very staunch allies in the war on terror.” He said that both countries, though they “are not fully capable in some aviation areas,” are contributing forces to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. Maj. Krista Carlos reports that Bulgaria expressed interest in modernizing its air force, in particular gaining new multirole fighters. Hobbins said that Georgia knows it needs to “rid itself of old Russian equipment,” but it has limited resources so plans to take “interim steps.”
The Space Development Agency is set to launch 21 Tranche 1 data transport satellites on Oct. 5—its fourth Tranche 1 mission since last fall and the first to carry Northrop Grumman-built satellites.