The Air Force has put no funds in its 2008 defense budget proposal or the outyears for the nuclear air-launched Advanced Cruise Missile, leading analysts to believe its headed into retirement—very much sooner than anticipated. The stealthy ACM, which can be carried aboard the B-52 bomber, reached initial operational capability around 1991 and had been the subject of modifications to extend its service life to 2030. Robert Burns of the Associated Press got a confirmation from the Air Force that the service has decided to retire the missile but received no explanation on the service’s rationale. Could we speculate there are more urgent priorities as the Air Force tries to stay within its funding topline
Promotions to the Space Force’s second highest enlisted grade, senior master sergeant, have surged to the highest level in the young service’s history, bolstering the senior NCO corps as officials plan to aggressively expand the force and especially the enlisted corps.