General Paul V. Hester of PACAF told AFA’s symposium audience that he recently has hosted delegations of Chinese leaders visiting Hickam AFB, Hawaii—his headquarters. Hester said he has been forthright in telling them about PACAFs military capabilities and about plans for future war games with America’s Pacific allies. He even told his Chinese counterparts who the next participants will be for exercises in the Pacific. Hester told the audience that China is well aware of the Air Force’s heavy bomber presence on Guam and that they were alerted to the movement of fighters the that island last summer. Hoping to gain more insight into the capabilities of China’s People’s Liberation Army air force, Hester volunteered to launch an exchange of US and Chinese fighter squadrons, only to see nervous Pentagon officials nix the idea. It’s not clear whether Beijing would have accepted.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.