The Senate has approved Sue Payton as the new Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. President Bush made the nomination in April, but Payton, who is currently Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts, did not appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee until July 18. The full Senate confirmed Payton on July 21.
The Air Force is about to start considering what may one day replace the venerable B-52 Stratofortress, and take a first step towards imagining its bomber force in the long-term future. The service said in documents accompanying its fiscal 2027 budget proposal that it plans to start a “Heavy Bomber…