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 Pentagon is considering ditching the Air Force’s plan to buy the E-7 Wedgetail as it looks to outsource the airborne target-tracking mission to space, defense officials indicated this week.