There may still be some friction between the Air Force and the ground forces, particularly the Army, over USAF’s bid to become executive agent for higher-flying unmanned aerial vehicles, but the air and sea services have come together as “strategic forces” brethren. The top military leaders for both services met last week to talk about such things as the future of joint electronic attack and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance issues. They identified some “joint solutions” in what Gen. Michael Moseley, Air Force Chief of Staff, characterized as “frank conversations.” For his part, the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Michael Mullen, who was just confirmed to be the next JCS Chairman, said the talks would center on “the thing I care most about—warfighting.”
The Air Force is planning to spend $2.19 billion over the next five years to acquire new C-37 jets for transporting military and civilian leaders. That’s on top of another $1.17 billion in projected funding for the VC-25B “Air Force One” replacement.