Lt. Gen. Robert Elder, 8th Air Force commander and lead on the activation of USAF’s new Cyber Command, told defense reporters in Washington yesterday that the Air Force hasn’t yet set a stand up date. His job, though, includes making resources for it available with “execution money” from the Fiscal 2008 budget and influencing the amended 2009 Program Objective Memorandum. Eighth Air Force at Barksdale AFB, La., had gained additional personnel since USAF announced plans to create the new command—all contributing to its activation preparation. Elder said he is working to “be ready” for when “the Secretary and the Chief decide the timing is right.” He expects the last details to be resolved by late summer or early fall.
Raytheon, a division of defense giant RTX, recently announced a multiyear deal with the Pentagon to increase annual production of the Air Force’s primary dogfighting missile by more than 50 percent from two years ago.
