The California Congressional delegation, led by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D), and Rep. Wally Herger (R), sent Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne a letter, extolling the benefits the service would accrue from placing its new Cyber Command at Beale Air Force Base. They write that Beale would provide “unmatched opportunities to develop public-private partnerships” with computer and engineering-related occupations, as well as academic institutions, that the Air Force has said “is a vital requirement.” California is one of eight states interested in securing the new command.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.